Beauty and the Slytherin
by Forever Mysterious
Summary: Fic made for TheAtomicBoom on Tumblr, a.k.a. the biggest Snily shipper ever. Mostly Snape/Lily, with hints of playful  Remus/Sirius, and Remus/Tonks. Beatuy and the Beast lyrics are copyright of Alan Menken and Disney.
1. Prologue

_'Once upon a time, in a far away land, a young half-blood Prince lived in a shining castle._

_ Although he had everything his heart desired, the Prince was spoiled, selfish, and unkind. _

_But then, one winter's night, an old beggar woman came to the castle and offered him a single lily in return for shelter from the bitter cold. _

_Repulsed by her haggard appearance, the Prince sneered at the gift and turned the old woman away. _

_But she warned him not to be deceived by appearances, for beauty is found within. _

_And when he dismissed her again, the old woman's ugliness melted away to reveal a beautiful enchantress. _

_The Prince tried to apologize, but it was too late, for she had seen that there was no love in his heart. _

_And as punishment she transformed him into a hideous Death Eater and placed a powerful spell on the castle and all who lived there. _

_Ashamed of his monstrous condition, the Death Eater concealed himself inside his castle, with a magic mirror as his only window to the outside world. _

_The lily she had offered was truly an enchanted lily which would bloom until his 21st year. _

_If he could learn to love another and earn her love in return by the time the last petal fell, then the spell would be broken. _

_If not, he would be doomed to remain a Death Eater for all time. _

_As the years passed he fell into despair and lost all hope. _

_For who could ever learn to love a Slytherin_?'

* * *

><p>Author's Note: An anonymous user on Tumblr made this one part, so credit must be given to them, Thank you.<p> 


	2. That Lily

Lily walked out of her family's home, her dark red hair flowing behind her, her brilliant green eyes shining in the sun, swinging her basket around her waist, and her head lost in the clouds. She had a good feeling about today, but she didn't exactly know why.

Lily entered the village. _'Little town it's a quiet village. Everyday like the one before. Little town full of little people, waking up to say….'_

A window flew open, revealing an cheery old man. _'Bonjour!"_

Another one flew open, this time a man with a fluffy ginger mustache. _'Bonjour!'_

A old woman with fly-away white hair came walking by. _'Bonjour!'_

Her husband, his long beard as white as his wife's hair. _'Bonjour!'_

Lily smiled. '_There goes the baker with his tray like always, the same old bread and rolls to sell. Every morning just the same since the morning that we came, To this poor provincial town.'_

The Baker, a kind, portly man, waved towards Lily. "Good Morning Lily!" He said in his cheery voice.

"G'morning Monsieur!" Lily said, taking a roll from the tray he was holding.

The Baker smiled. "Where you off to?"

"To The book shop. I just finished the most wonderful story, About a beanstalk and an ogor and an…" Lily said excitedly.

The Baker waved her off. "That's nice. Marie!" He yelled into his shop. "The bagettes! Hurry up!"

Lily went on, paying no attention to a nasty group of old women who were talking about her in whispers.

'_Look there she goes that girl is strange no question."_

_"Dazed and distracted, can't you tell?"_

_'Never part of any crowd.'_

One of their husbands joined in. _'Cuz her heads up on some cloud.'_

The some wandering villagers joined in as well. _'No denying she's a funny girl, that Lily…'_

Lily did catch tiny snippets of others' conversations.

_'Bonjour!'_

_'Good day!'_

_'How is your family?'_

_'Bonjour!'_

_'Good day!'_

_'How is your wife?'_

_'I need six eggs!'_

_'That's too expensive.'_

_'There must be more than this provincial life….' _Lily sighed.

Lily found her destination, The village's bookstore.

She walked in, where a short, skinny old man with knobby knees stood, putting books on their respected shelves.

"Ah!" He said, turning on the door's bell when Lily entered the store. "Lily!"

Lily smiled kindly at him."Good Morning! I've come to return the book I've borrowed." She held out the red-covered book.

The store clerk laughed. "Finished already?"

"Oh I couldn't put it down." Lily gushed. "Got anything new?"

He raised his almost nonexistent eyebrows at her. "Not since yesterday!"

Lily climbed onto the ladder, leading up to the higher levels on the bookshelves. "That's alright. I'll borrow…" She looked through the assorted titles until she found one in a shiny green covering. "This one!"

The clerk looked at her in amusement."That one? But you've read it twice!"

Lily giggled. "Well it's my favorite! Far off places, daring swordfights, magic spells, a prince in disguise..." Her eyes wide in imagination.

The clerk shook his head. "Well, if you like it all that much, it's yours."

"But sir!" Lily said, shocked.

He simply smiled at her. "I insist."

"Well thank you! Thank you very much!" said Lily, her voice still full of shock.

Lily departed from the store, already reading her favorite book once again.

A group of nearby men looked amazed. _'Look there she goes that girl is so peculiar. I wonder if she's feeling well.'_

A group of women stood by, gossiping. _'With a dreamy far off look.'_

_'And her nose stuck in a book.'_

_'What a puzzle to the rest of us, that Lily…."_

Lily sat down at the village's foundation, playfully talking to a sheep that was passing through with it's owner._ 'Oh! Isn't this amazing? It's my favorite because you'll see. Here's where she meets prince charming. But she won't discover that it's him till chapter three…..'_

A plump woman stood in a wig and hat shop, trying on new looks. _'Now It's no wonder that her name means beauty, her looks have got no parallel..'_

The shop owner nodded in agreement. _'But behind that fair facade, I'm afraid she's rather odd. _

_Very different from the rest of us….'_

_'She's nothing like the rest of us. Yes, different from the rest of us is Lily…'_

There was _BANG_ and a bright red color, and a geese feel to the ground, either dead or simply knocked out.

A short, rat-faced man scooped up the geese and shoved it into the sack he was carrying. "Wow! You didn't miss a shot, James! Your the greatest hunter in the whole world." He said with a admiring grin.

James Potter, a tall, handsome man, with unruly black hair and glasses walked over to him, smiling proudly. "I know."

The rat-faced man nodded feverishly. "No beast alive stands a chance against you. And no girl for that matter." He added in an undertone.

James put his arm around him. "It's true, Wormtail. And I've got my sights set on that one."

James pointed his wand at Lily, who was still reading her book.

Wormtail gasped. "The inventors daughter?"

"She's the one! The lucky girl I'm going to marry!" James proclaimed.

Wormtail looked worried. "But she's…"

"-The most beautiful girl in town."

"I know, but-"

James grabbed Wormtail by the collar, his teeth clenched. "That makes her the best! And don't I deserve the best!" He demanded.

Wormtail looked terrified. "Well of course, I mean you do, I mean…"

James released Wormtail, returning his bright personality. _'Right from the moment when i met her, saw her, I said she's gorgeous and I fell…Here in town, there's only she, who is beautiful as me. So I'm making plans to woo and marry Lily.'_

A group of blonde women stood by, admiring James._ 'Look there he goes, isn't he dreamy? Monsiuer Potter, oh he's so cute! Be still, my heart, I'm hardly breathing. He's such a tall, dark, strong and handsome brute!'_

_'Bonjour!'_

James made his way towards Lily. 'Pardon.

Lily nodded towards a old woman.'Good day.'

_'Mais oui!'_

_'You call this bacon?'_

_'What lovely grapes! '_

_'Some cheese...'_

_'Ten yards!'_

_'one pound -'_

James started to get annoyed. ''Excuse me!'

_'I'll get the knife-'_

James started to turn red. "Please let me through!"

_'This bread - '_

_'Those fish -'_

_'It's stale! '_

_'They smell!'_

_'Madame's mistaken.'_

_'Well, maybe so-'_

_'Good morning! _

_Oh, good morning!'_

Lily sighed against her book. _'There must be more than this provincial life!'_

James pointed his finger to the sky._ 'Just watch, I'm going to make Lily my wife!'_

_'Look there she goes_

_The girl is strange but special_

_A most peculiar mademoiselle!'_

_'It's a pity and a sin-'_

_'She doesn't quite fit in-' _

_''Cause she really is a funny girl _

_A beauty but a funny girl_

_She really is a funny girl_

_That Lily!'_

Almost like clockwork, they all stopped and went on with their own businesses.

Wormtail caught up with James, huffing for air. "I hate when the whole town breaks into song."


	3. James the Git

James ran up to Lily.

"Bonjour, James." Lily said, still looking at her book.

James took the book from Lily's grasp and turned it over in his hands, giving it a questioning look.

"James, may i have my book back please?" Lily said in an slightly annoyed voice.

"How can you read this? There's no pictures!" James responded, flipping through the pages.

Lily rolled her eyes, "Well, some people use their imaginations."

"Lily," James said while closing the book and tossing it to the ground, "It's about time you get your head out of those books and pay attention to more important things," James gave a superior look, "Like me."

Lily hastily picked up her book, which James rudely dropped in mud, and mumbled "Git" under her breath, which James either didn't acknowledge or was too caught up in himself to hear it.

"Lily," James said with a sigh, while absent-mindedly twirling his Mahogany wand in-between his fingers and putting it back into his belt, "The whole town is talking about it! It's not right for a woman to read! Soon she starts getting ideas, and _THINKING_." James made a disgusted face at the very sound of the word.

"James, you are positively primeval." Lily said while rubbing her book clean on her apron.

James gave a laugh. "Why Thank you, Lily." He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and snatched the book from her grasp again. "What do you say you and me take a walk over to the tavern and take a look at my trophies?" James gave Lily a grin.

"Maybe some other time…" Lily said in a 'I-really-don't-want-to-go' voice.

"This reminds me," James said, "I've been meaning to tell you, there have been some rumors going around that there have been some wolf sightings near here."

"Doing what exactly?" Lily said in an annoyed voice.

"Oh you know, nothing too serious, stealing supplies, eating the village's food, hell, one person even said they saw one of them, a big gray one apparently, taking books from the bookstore! Said it didn't even tear it apart or anything! Just took them. A wolf reading! Maybe it's trying to get you to stop reading too." said James with laugh. Lily rolled her eyes.

Near by, the same three women from earlier, all who were beautiful in their own rights, were shocked by Lily's unenthusiastic nature with James.

"What's wrong with her?" The one in pink said.

"She's crazy!" The one in yellow said.

"He's gorgeous." The one in green said in a dreamy voice.

Again, James was completely oblivious to their remarks. Lily, however, was not, and had had enough.

"Please, James," Lily pleaded, "I can't, I have to get home to help my father. Goodbye."

Wormtail gave a wheezy laugh.

"Ha! That crazy ol' loon! He's needs all the help he can get!"

James and Wormtail went into a fit of laughter.

"Don't talk about my father that way!" Lily said in an angry voice, her bright green eyes flashing and her hand dangerous close to her own wand .

James abruptly stopped laughing.

"Yeah!" James blurted out while slapping Wormtail on the back-side of the head. "Don't talk about her father that way!"

"My father is not crazy, he's a genius!" Lily said proudly.

Just then, and easily seen from the village, a large and very loud explosion went off at the Evanses home, which produced a cloud of blue and green smoke.

Lily ran to go help, while James and Wormtail went back into an even louder fit of laughter, where James hit Wormtail on the head again.

However, while James and Wormtail were still trying to stop laughing at Mr. Evans' obvious problem, they failed to notice the large gray and black wolves who were just then sneaking out of the village, their mouthes clinging onto whatever they gathered.

"Git." The large black one thought, and it followed the gray one into the darkened forest.


	4. Sirius and Remus

As the two wolves walked through the forest, a notable change happened. One second the black wolf was walking, holding a sack full of food and a variety of potions ingredients in it's teeth, the next there was a man, tall and very handsome with black hair and cold gray eyes, holding the sack the wolf was holding only moments before in his own mouth.

The man dropped the sack into his out-stretched hand and gave a bark-like laugh. "Ha! Remus, did you see how much food i got? I was sure the baker was going to catch me, but he didn't! Though i'm pretty sure his wife will get suspicious where all the food is going. Whatever, she'll probably think the baker ate it, he's a bit on the heavier side anyway."

His companion, the gray wolf, who had it's own sack, this one filled with books, sat down on the grassy forest floor and stared up at the him.

"What? Cat got your tongue?" The man said with a snigger.

The wolf called Remus went on staring, almost looking like it rolled it's eyes at him.

"Oh right, you're still in wolf form," The man said. "Here, let me get that for you."

The man searched his pockets, throwing out loose lint-balls and assorted buttons until he finally found what he needed, a small flask of a dark purple liquid.

"Open up." He said.

The wolf obeyed, opening it's muzzle and the man put a small amount of the liquid on it's tongue, which it swallowed.

While the man stoppered the flask, the gray wolf changed, turning into a man no older than his companion, with light brown hair (which was streaked with gray) and noticeable scars slashing his young face.

"Sirius, you idiot!" Remus said in a deadly whisper while hitting Sirius with his books. "We could've gotten caught!

"OW! Stop!" Sirius said, trying to shield himself from the blows.

Remus stopped hitting him at once, though he still looked mad at him.

"Thank you. AND For you information, Remus, we didn't caught, did we? We never do!" Sirius said with a grin. "Muggles can't notice a damn thing, now can they?"

Remus' golden eyes were slits. "Not everyone in that village was a muggle, Sirius, we just saw three wizards!"

"Did we really? I couldn't tell." Sirius said with a flicker of interest.

"Of course we did," Remus said. "There was that hunter, he had a wand, That girl with the red hair, she had a wand-"

"And she looked pretty close to turning that git hunter into a mince pie if you ask me." said Sirius in an undertone.

"-And there was that little one, he had a wand too." Remus continued, annoyed.

"There's no way that little one was wizard, he probably just got a stick off the ground and said he was a wizard to impress his friends." Sirius said, flicking some dirt off his shirt.

"It's the wand that makes the wizard." Remus said in matter-of-factly voice.

"Then he's as good as a dirty stick." Sirius retorted.

"Well if _THEY_ didn't notice us there, Severus sure will notice our absence." said Remus, this time with a flicker of urgency in his voice.

"Oh come now," Sirius said with a reassuring smile. "Severus has been locked up in his tower all day, he never notices when we leave." Sirius placed his arm around Remus' shoulders. "Come on, we'll sneak back into the castle, make him some tea, he'll never know we were gone."

Remus didn't look convinced. "Well he's going to notice why my supply of wolf-reversing potion is so low."

"First off, i got him potions supplies, he'll be happy about that. (Remus made a fake gasp and said, "Severus Snape: _HAPPY_? Sirius, you're crazy." Sirius laughed and continued.) "Second, If he took time out of his anger and depression to make you potions to change you into a wolf and back whenever you want, AND make you potions so you don't kill everyone when you turn into a werewolf during the full moon, i think he'll be fine making you some more, Remus. Also, if you're so scared of leaving the castle, why do you even come with me?" Sirius said. "

"You're fun to hang around." Remus said with a tiny shrug of the shoulders.

Sirius smiled. "Come on, let's go."

Remus and Sirius went on their way and walked down the forest for awhile, until finally they met their destination.

They reached the middle of the forest, where a handsome castle stood, tall and magnificent, though it looked much darker than it usually would, as it had a lingering black clouds hanging over it. Remus and Sirius walked across the bridge to the castle, which was hovering over the dark and murky depths below.

Remus and Sirius walked up to the tall oak doors, and Sirius' hand lingered over the silver doorknob, embellished with a large 'P' and a snake entwined with the letter.

"You know," Sirius said in a whisper. "I don't get why Severus even has these 'P' knobs anymore, his name isn't even 'Prince', that was his mum, wasn't it? it should be 'S' instead."

"Yes we know, 'S' for Snape, this is Prince castle, Sirius, he'll change whenever he wants to." Remus said a hushed whisper. "Can we go inside now?"

Sirius tried to open the door as quietly as possible, and close it just as softly when they stepped over the threshold.

Sirius looked around to make sure the coast was clear, and gave a sigh of relief. "I told you he wouldn't notice we were gone, what did i tell you-"

Just then, there was loud _BANG _from the upper-level and Sirius and Remus were glued to the spot.

"Oh Dear." Sirius said with uncharacteristic fear etched over his face.

"If he asks, this was all your fault." Remus said in the corner of his mouth. Sirius opened his mouth to respond back, but was cut off.

**"WHERE HAVE YOU TWO BEEN?"**

A man, who was tall, thin, with lank, jet black hair, came stomping down from the upper-level, his hand clenched over ebony wand, ready to strike, never taking his eyes off of Sirius or Remus for a second, his black robes billowing behind him in his anger.

**"WELL?"** the man demanded, his black eyes narrowed.

"Uh, Severus, let me explain…" Sirius shuttered.

"Severus," Remus said. "Let me just take this moment to say that i was against this from the start, it was all his fault," He pointed to Sirius."I tried to stop him, but would he listen to me? NO, NO, NO, NO-"

**"SHUT UP!" **yelled Severus , his eyes flashing dangerously.

Remus made a small noise and remained silent. Severus stood there, looking at the two of them, breathing heavily.

"Did you two honestly think i wouldn't begin to notice you both mysteriously disappearing every couple of days? **DO YOU THINK I'M THAT STUPID?" **Severus sneered at them.

"Of course you're not stupid, Severus," Sirius said. "You just stay in your tower so often, we didn't think you would even begin to notice us leaving. We can can only clean a library so often before we get bored!"

"I don't know what he's talking about," Remus mumbled. "I was fine cleaning the library for as long as i needed to."

"Look at you two," Severus said with a smirk. "Two of a kind, always having each other's backs, it's almost as if you were an item or something."

Remus blushed red.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Oh Come on, Severus, even you know Remus has wanted to snog Tonks since last Christmas."

Remus blushed even an deeper shade of red.

"Plus, he's a Pisces, i'm a Sagittarius, totally incompatibility in the love department." said Sirius in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Don't spew your Zodiac nonsense on me, Sirius, no one gives a damn." Severus said, annoyed.

"Whatever you say, Capricorn." Sirius giggled.

Severus looked at them. "What's in the sacks?"

Sirius and Remus looked down at their hands, realizing that they were still holding their taken goods.

"Hand them over." Severus said, out-stretching his thin hands to the pair of them.

Sirius and Remus reluctantly handed them over to him, and Severus rummaged through them, looking at whatever they got.

"Well i dare say," Severus said after a few moments of shuffling through the items. "You two are lucky i needed more potions supplies, or you would both be in the dungeons by now, plus, i needed a new books to read."

Sirius blinked. "You mean we're not in trouble?"

Severus sighed. "No, i don't suppose you two are, are you? Of course," He raised a black eyebrow to them. "I can only assume that these supplies are for me, unless you're trying to make a love potion."

"No sir, never." Remus said, still blushing slightly, Sirius sniggered.

"Then you two are not in trouble." Severus said.

Remus and Sirius sighed in relief.

"However," Severus continued. "If you two dare try to sneak out of the castle without tell me before-hand again, the punishment will be… _severe_."

Severus turned on his heel and stalked back up the stairs. When Severus was out of earshot, Sirius punched the air.

"Out scott free!" Sirius said gleefully."Ha! And to think, i always thought Severus had a malfunctioning Sneakoscope stuck up his butt."

_"I HEARD THAT, BLACK." _Severus said from the top of the stairs.

"Damnit." Sirius said in aggravated whisper while Remus was lost in a fit of laughter.

* * *

><p><span>Author's note:<span> I made up the "wolf-reversing" potion has an excuse to have Remus in wolf-form when it wasn't a full moon, because he wasn't technically a animagus to control it. Also, i know no one knows when Sirius' exact birthday is, but i did my research and Sagittarius seemed to fit Sirius' personality pretty well.


	5. Petunia Hates Inventions

Lily ran at top speed towards her family's simple home. She could easily see from a distance that her older sister, Petunia, showed no interest in whatever their father's inventing had got him into this time.

"Ah, Lily," Petunia said in a bored voice as Lily ran up to the porch, gasping for air. "Father is in another mess again, do check up on him, will you?"

Lily looked straight into her sister's pale eyes. "How come YOU never help him?"

Petunia flicked a strand of her blonde her out of her face. "Because you can easily take care of it. I mean, you are the _WITCH_ in the family, aren't you?"

Lily huffed a strand of her dark red hair of her face and stomped away from her sister. She has always known that Petunia was jealous of her abilities, but this was just get ridiculous!

_'It's not like i asked to be a Muggle-Born witch!_' Lily thought to herself angrily.

Lily made her way to the back of the house, where her father was had set up his "lab", located in the cellar.

She threw open the door, where even more blue and green smoke billowed out, and found her father, Frederick, couching up a fit.

"Dad?" Lily asked into the smoke. "Are you alright?"

"How on earth did that happen?" He said to himself, brushing dust off of his shirt and his dark red hair, which his youngest daughter obviously inherited.

"Where'd the colored smoke come from?" Lily asked, coughing.

"I tried using some of your potion supplies," Her father explained. "It's pretty obvious that i should leave the magic to the professionals." He gave her a significant look.

He looked back the machine and mumbled. "I'm about to give up on this hunk of junk!" He kicked the machine, which he regretted soon afterwards, as he almost broke his foot.

Lily giggled. "You always say that."

"I mean it this time!" He bellowed. "I'll never get this damn contraption to work!"

"Yes you will." Lily reassured him. "And you'll get first prize at the fair tomorrow,"

Her father crossed his arms over his chest and huffed at her.

"AND you'll become a world famous inventor." Lily added.

Frederick raised his eyebrow at her. "You REALLY think that?"

"I always have." Lily said with a smile.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Frederick said enthusiastically. "I'll have this thing fixed in no time!"

He put his workers' goggles on and went to work.

"So, Did you have a good time in town today?" He asked a few moments later, while under the machine on his back.

"I got a new book." said Lily uncertainly.

Lily sighed. "Dad, do you think i'm…odd?"

Frederick rolled himself out from under the machine and look at her, his pale eyes magnified three times their normal size by the goggles.

"My daughter? ODD?" He said in a shocked voice. "Ha! Where'd you get an idea like that?"

"Oh i don't know," Lily said. "It's just that i'm not sure that i fit in here. There's no one i can really talk to."

_'And Petunia sure isn't helping.'_ Lily thought to herself.

"Oh, what about that James Potter? He's a handsome fella." Her father said, rolling back under the machine.

"Oh he's handsome all right," said Lily, getting annoyed. "And rude, and conceited, and-" she sighed again. "Oh dad, he's not for me."

"WELL," Frederick said. "Don't you worry, cause this invention is gonna be the start of a new life for us, even if your mother doesn't think so."

Lily smirked, thinking of her mother, Violet, with her shining blonde hair and her bright green eyes (Lily inherited that from her.) surely upstairs making a pie, trying to kill time while her husband worked on more crazy gizmos, and her daughters off doing whatever to occupy their days.

"I think that's done it!" said Frederick, snapping Lily out of thought. "Let's give it a try."

Frederick pulled a large lever on the side of the machine, which jerked alive, billowing a pale blue smoke from the top, and after a few short moments, the axe at the other end of the machine fell at a sharp angle, chopping a log that was set up below it straight in half, and hitting it perfectly to making it flip and land neatly in a set of already chopped logs near-by it.

"It works!" Lily exclaimed.

"It does?" said Frederick, shocked. "It works!"

"You did it, You really did it!" Lily said, giving her father a tight hug.

Frederick smiled at her. "That's it, i'm off to the fair!"

* * *

><p>"I can't believe you're forcing me to go."<p>

"Oh come Petunia, we hardly ever see each other anymore. It'll be fun!"

Violet absolutely insisted that Petunia go with her father to the fair ("Maybe she'll find some man there, Heaven knows that every man here is too scared of her anyway." Violet whispered to Lily when they were packing.) and their father was more than happy to agree, Petunia, however was not.

"Why can't Lily go?" Petunia nagged, dragging her luggage onto their traveling cart.

"Lily hangs out with your father almost as much as she reads, Petunia," Violet said. "It'll be good for you to get out once in awhile, you know."

Petunia huffed but didn't press on the matter.

"Alright, 'Tuney, ready to go?" Frederick said, his face cracked in a wide smile.

"Ready as i'll ever be." Petunia mumbled.

As the two set off, with Petunia looking disdainfully at her father's invention, Lily and Violet settled into their home, preparing dinner for themselves.

* * *

><p>"Dad? Do you even know where we are?"<p>

Frederick looked around, frowning. They had ended up in a unknown section of the forest, stuck at path leading to two different roads, one very dark and rough, the other light and welcoming.

"Let's go that way." Petunia pointed to the lighter path.

"Nonsense," Frederick said with a lazy wave of his hand. "This one has got to be a shortcut." He pointed towards the darkened path.

"I don't know, Dad, it doesn't look safe…." Petunia said, her voice cracking with fear.

"Come on, it'll be fine." Frederick reassured his daughter. He directed their horse to lead their carriage down the path, away from familiarity and warmth.

After a short while in the spooky path, Petunia heard footsteps.

"Dad," Petunia squeaked. "I don't think we're going the right way."

"Well this can't be right," Frederick said, not noticing his daughter's words. "Where have you taken us?" He said, talking to their horse.

There was a loud howl in the distance, "Dad!" Petunia squeaked again, her voice thick with fear. "We have to get out of here!"

Their horse seemed to agree with Petunia and started backing up, and unfortunately backed up into a old tree, which was filled with now-awakened bats.

Petunia screamed, shielding her face from the creatures, and Frederick struggled to get his horse under control. The horse shot out through the cloud of angered bats and ran at top speed, almost flying off the edge of the hill, literally.

"Back up, boy, come on." Frederick yelled out, which the horse obeyed at once.

Unfortunately (_AGAIN_) their horse heard howls, and went up on his hind legs, throwing Frederick and Petunia off the carriage, and running at top speed out of the forest without them.

Frederick and Petunia looked around, the forest was abandoned, foggy, and none too friendly looking.

"D-d-dad…" Petunia stammered out. "W-w-w-_WOLVES_!"

She pointed her bony hand towards to what were distinctly wolf eyes, bright yellow in the darkness, growling at them

Frederick grabbed his daughter's wrist and they ran, they ran faster than they ever had before, trying their hardest to not have the wolf pack meet up with them, though they were pretty close to it.

After what seemed like miles, Frederick and Petunia saw what could only be walls, covered in ivory, a towering iron in the middle.

"This way." Frederick urged, wheezing and dragging Petunia over to the tall gothic gate.

Petunia looked behind them, seeing that the wolves had caught up, looking ready to kill.

"Help! Help! Is someone there?" Frederick screamed as loud as he could when they reached the gate, shaking it helplessly.

After the moment, the gate swung open, almost like magic, causing Frederick and Petunia to fall onto the bridge on the other side of it.

The wolves caught up, snarling, their teeth bared. Petunia stood, her face contorted in fear and rage, and slammed the gate on them.

She held her hand out and helped her father up onto his feet.

"Come on," She said, her bottom lip cut from the fall. "Let's get shelter."

Much to their luck, the clouds overhead started to pound down rain on them.

They composed themselves, and head off across the bridge, trying their hardest not to look down into what looked like endless darkness below the bridge (or slip off it, thanks to the rain), and made their way towards the handsome castle on the other side.

* * *

><p>Author's Note: In almost every Snily fic i have read, Lily's mum is named "Violet", and i just liked the name "Frederick". (Turns out Boomy does too, so winwin situation there.)


	6. Something Big

"So, what do you say?"

"Say to what?"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "I just asked you a bloody question, Tonks! Do you ever listen?"

"Obviously not." Tonks said, playing with a strand of her currently bright pink hair.

"Fine, I'll ask again," Sirius said, annoyed. "If the whole castle was caught on fire, and you could only save me or Remus, who would you save?"

"Why would i save either of you? I'd save Rosmerta, at-least _SHE'S _laugh." Tonks responded.

Sirius playfully punched Remus in the arm. "Can you believe her, Remus? She'd leave us to be cooked alive while she and Rosmerta went off on their dandy way, and all because she doesn't think we're funny. Rude, isn't it?"

Remus was staring out the window of the parlor where the three of them were currently chatting in, its long windows currently being smothered in a gulf of rain that had started only mere moments before.

"What?" Remus said, breaking out of thought. "Oh, i mean, yeah, that's really not nice, Tonks."

Tonks stared at Remus, her dark eyes concerned. "Are you okay, Remus? You've been quiet all day."

"Does wittle Remus not like the wain?" said Sirius, pouting his bottom lip out like a child begging for candy.

"Of course not, "Remus retorted. "I've just had this weird feeling all day. That something big is going to happen."

"Oh really? How big?" Sirius said.

"Like 'it will change our whole lives' big." Remus said, staring up at the ceiling.

"Ooooh," Tonks said with a grin. "Remus is a Seer now."

Remus went on staring out the window. "Well, it was just a feeling."

"Well, I have a feeling that all this rain is making me want some hot cocoa." Sirius said, placing his head on Remus' shoulders.

Just then, a loud rap came from the front door of the castle, making them all jump.

"Oooh!" Tonks exclaimed. "Remus, is this part of your prediction?"

"Shut it, Nymphadora." Sirius whispered.

Tonks put her hands on her hips, her hair turning a fiery red. "Don't call me 'Nymphadora', Sirius!"

"Fine, _TONKS_." Sirius said, stressing emphasize her last name. "Just go hide, okay? I'll go check who it is."

Tonks and Remus went to hide in the main hall, behind some pillars, while they watched Sirius cautiously reach to open the door.

Sirius yanked open the front door, to reveal what looked like a father and daughter combo, soaking from head to toe, shaking, with the father coughing up something fierce.

"Remus," Tonks whispered,. "Go help Sirius."

"You go Sirius!" Remus whispered back.

Tonks' dark eyes were narrowed. "You go help him right now before i make you."

Remus smiled weakly. "I'd like to see you try."

Tonks put her hands on Remus' chest, pushing him out of their hiding place, making him skid across the floor loudly, causing Sirius, and the strangers to notice his sudden appearance.

Remus tried to hastily run back to where Tonks was, but Tonks pushed him back again, making the situation even more awkward than before.

"Who's he?" The girl said, wiping her soaking blonde hair out of her face, her lip cut.

"Oh, uh," Sirius started. "He's Remus, and uh, I'm Sirius." Tonks stuck her bright pink head out from her hiding place. "And that's Tonks! we kinda live here .…and stuff."

The girl huffed. "What kind of name is 'Tonks'?

Tonks stepped put of her hiding place, standing right next to where Remus had landed after he was pushed out, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Well what kind of name is…" Tonks started to respond. "Wait, what is your name?"

"Petunia Evans." The girl said. "And this is my father, Frederick Evans." She waved her hand towards the man coughing next to her. "We've been a bit of a mishap."

"We can tell." Remus said, staring at the hunched over man.

"I'll go get Severus." Tonks said, running towards the stairs.

"Oh no, I don't need any help." Petunia said as Tonks disappeared into the upper level. "I just wanted to leave my father here so he can get some rest while i go get him some help from a real doctor from down in the village."

"What? And _MY_ help isn't useful?"

Severus and Tonks had returned, Severus looking all the bit concerned.

Petunia made a slightly disgusted face, "Oh god, what's wrong with you?"

"What do you mean '_What's wrong with you_?" Severus snapped, looking mad.

"Well i dare say, your nose is too big for to count as real, now doesn't it?" Petunia said, pointing towards his face. "And look at your build! You look like a toothpick."

"Severus' face started to turn red. "Well, i don't think that's any of your-"

"And look at your hair for god's sake! It's much too long, and have you ever thought of washing it for once? It really isn't that hard, you know." Petunia spat.

"You know what?" said Severus, his mouth contorted into a nasty smile. "We should just leave her father here, he's in no state for more traveling now. But before our 'guest' leaves us for any more help, which is a complete waste of time and money, considering how capable we are for taking care of muggles like you, i think we should leave her with a parting gift."

Petunia's eyes bulged. "'Muggles like you'? You don't mean your a-?"

"Oh yes, I'm afraid to say i am indeed a wizard." Severus said, his teeth bared. " We all are here, actually. And, not to feed our egos or anything, but we're all very skilled in our practices, and useless you want me to turn you into a frog, i suggest you start acting a bit nicer to us."

Remus gave Petunia a sheepish smile, Sirius stared straight at Severus, his face mixed with fear and what look like admiration, Tonks , meanwhile, looked tense.

Petunia started to back away, shaking her finger at the three wizards. "Oh no, i already have a witch for a sister, i'm not getting caught up any more of people like you!"

"'People like you?'" Sirius snapped at her. "Since when were we not people? I have nothing against muggles, but saying things like that aren't helping your cause, sweetie!"

Remus snorted. "_Sweetie_? Really?"

"Shut up." Sirius whispered to him.

Petunia made way for the door. "Come on, Dad, we're leaving this god awful place at once!"

Her father gave cough. "I can't Petunia, i'm too weak." He gave another cough. "If they really are as good as they say they are, i'll stay here and be back as soon as i can. Just go back home, make sure Lily and your mother know i'll okay."

Petunia gave her father a scandalized look. "Dad, you can't be serious…"

"Well of course he isn't, i am!" Sirius said, Remus and Tonks rolled their eyes at him.

"Fine," Petunia said, drawing herself to her full height. "But if i get word that he isn't well, and you've been doing things to him for research or something like that, I'll have you all burnt at the stake!"

Petunia threw open the door dramatically, walked out into the rain, and slammed it shut.

After a few moments of silence, Sirius spoke. "Well, that was …. interesting."

"Do muggles really think we can still be burnt at the stake?" Tonks said.

"It doesn't matter now, Come on, let's get him better." Severus said, walking over to Frederick and helping him walk.

As Severus and Tonks helped Frederick to the parlor, Sirius and Remus were walking slowly behind them, speaking in whispers.

"You don't reckon Freddie is that witch's father from the village, do you?" Sirius said.

"Probably, but who cares?" Remus responded. "All i hope is that his other daughter doesn't tell the whole village about us, you know how scared they are of just having three magical people in the village, imagine how they would react to a whole castle full of them!"

"Well, as long as we get her dad okay, we should fine, right?" Sirius said, his brow furrowed.

"I hope so." Remus said with a sad little smile.

Meanwhile, on the outside of the gates of the castle, Petunia was plotting with herself.

_"Try and threaten me again, wizards, we'll see who's threatening who when i have the whole village chanting for your execution!" _

Petunia has a self-satisfied grin at that notation.


	7. Weddings and Petunia's Lies

The field was full of people, full of laughter and with smiles on their faces (excluding the three blonde girls who were currently weeping into their handkerchiefs.), It was a perfect day for wedding.

Or at-least, that's what James thought.

He was decked out in his best things, smiling broadly, Wormtail not far behind him.

"Oh boy," Wormtail said with his brainless grin. "Lily's gonna get the surprise of her life. huh, James?"

"Yep, This_ IS_ her lucky day." James said.

James signaled for quiet in the wedding crowd.

"Thank you all for coming to my wedding. First, i better go in there and-" James winked. "Propose to the girl."

Everyone laughed at his joke, including himself. (The three crying girls weeped even harder.)

"You, Wormtail." said James, dropping his charms. "When me and Lily come out that door-"

"Oh i know! I know!" Wormtail said enthusiastically. "I strike up the band!"

Wormtail started to wave his conductor's baton wildly, making the band start an off-beat wedding march.

"Not now!" James snapped at Wormtail, slapping him on the head.

Wormtail stopped abruptly, stars in his beady eyes. "Sorry."

Lily was currently re-reading a favorite story of hers (one full of magic spells and secret Princes) at the table near the fireplace. There was a knock at the door.

"Lily!" Her mother's voice rang from the kitchen. "Will you get the door please?"

Lily put down her book and walked towards the door, checking through the eye-hole. Sure enough, the wide grin of James Potter came into view.

"Not him." Lily moaned to herself.

James opened the door, without invitation, and walked in.

"James. what a nice surprise." Lily said.

"Ins't though?" James said, never mis-placing his grin. "I'm just full of surprises."

James walked over to Lily, her backing up all the while.

James stopped near a dresser and put his hand on it. "You know, there isn't a girl in down who wouldn't LOVE to be in your shoes."

"This is the day-" James stopped to check his teeth for food in the dresser's mirror and continued afterwards. "This is the day all your dreams come true."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "What do you know abut my dreams, James?"

"Plenty!" James said, Lily doubted it.

"Picture this," James said, sitting at the table, putting his feet up on her book. "A rustic hunting lodge, my latest kill roasting on the fire," James pushed his boots off his feet, letting them fall to the floor."My little wife, massaging my feet," James wiggled his toes at Lily."While the little ones play on the floor with the dogs."

James put his face close to Lily's "We'll have six or seven."

"Dogs?" Lily said with an awkward grin.

"No, Lily! Strapping boys, like me." James said proudly.

"Imagine that." Lily said, walking away from James.

"You know who that little wife will be?" James asked.

"Let me think…" Lily said, hardly wanting to think of the possibilities of what James was implying.

"You, Lily!" James announced, as if it was the best news of the century.

Lily rushed around James. "Please James, i'm speechless, really, i am."

Lily pushed herself against the front door. "I don't know what to say…."

James put his hands on the door, just above Lily's shoulders, staring down at her. "Say you'll marry me then."

"I'm very sorry, James, but-but-" Lily reached for the doorknob, James closed in for a kiss.

Lily grabbed the doorknob and turned it. "But i just don't deserve you!"

She threw the door open, ducking out from under James while he fell out of the house into a large mud puddle.

Wormtail saw James topple out of the house, starting the wild wedding march once again, not noticing that James' rear end was currently sticking out of a bubbling mud pool.

Lily only opened the door again to throw James' boots back at him.

James popped out the pool, seething. Wormtail walked over to James, pushing his mud- covered black fringe out of his face.

"So," Wormtail giggled. "How'd it go?"

James pulled Wormtail by the collar, so they were only inches from each-other. "I'll have Lily for my wife, " said James, his face in a snarl. "Make no mistake about that!"

James threw Wormtail into the mud puddle and stalked off, fuming.

Wormtail tutted, "Touchy!"

* * *

><p>"Lily, what was that?" Violet said, sticking her head out of the kitchen.<p>

"Oh nothing, Mum," Lily said. "James still isn't out there, is he?"

Violet looked out the window. "I don't think he is."

Lily sighed in relief. "Good."

She grabbed the chicken feed and walked out of the door into the backyard.

"I can't believe him!" Lily spat at the chickens, throwing food on the ground for them. "Asking me to marry him! Me! The wife of that arrogant, vile…"

_'Madam Potter.' _Can't you just see it?

_"Madam Potter, his little wife.'_

_'No sir, not me, i guarantee it. I want more than this provincial life-'_

Lily ran out into the very back of the hill where their home stood, which looked over the hills and the glistening river.

_'I want adventure in the great wide somewhere. I want it more than i can tell, and for once it might be grand, to have someone understand, i want so much more than they've got planned-'_

Lily sighed against her hand, watching the wind blow dandelions, making them sway.

"LILY! MOTHER! ANYBODY!"

Lily jumped up to see Petunia running at top speed out of the forest, her lip cut, her hair and clothes a mess, and without their father, though their horse came staggered back, Frederick's invention still connected to it.

Violet ran out of the house. "Petunia! What happened? Where's your father?"

Petunia gave a shuttering breath and ran into her mother's arms. "They-they-they took him!"

"Who took him?" Violet's green eyes widened.

"These awful people, up at the old castle, they were threatening us with magic!" Petunia gave a swift look over at Lily. "I only barely got away! But i couldn't get father, he was much too weak after they tortured him-"

Violet gasped. Lily gave Petunia a questioning look. "Do they still have him there?"

Petunia looked at her sister. "If they haven't killed him already, then i think so."

Lily nodded. "Then i'm going to save him."

Violet spun to look at her other daughter. "Lily, you can't, it's too dangerous-"

"Mum, if they're wizards like me, i think i can handle them. "She stared at her mother. "Trust me."

Violet looked conflicted, biting her bottom lip. Petunia looked wildly ecstatic. "Mother, i dare say, we shouldn't keep Lily from saving father, now can we? She's always wanted to save the day, why not do it now?"

Violet looked from Petunia to Lily, her brow furrowed. "Well…i guess she could…."

"Oh thank god," Petunia said dramatically. "Lily! You must hurry! The sooner you can see to father's safety, the better!"

Lily smiled at her sister. "You really believe in me, don't you?"

"Well, you_ are_ my little sister after all." Petunia said with a forced smile.

So they agreed, Lily would go and rescue their father while Petunia recovered from the ordeal. Violet took Petunia inside the house, Lily grabbed her traveling cloak and took their horse, detaching Frederick's invention form it's load, heading into the forest.

Violet looked out the window as she saw her youngest daughter's hair whip out of view.

"I do hope she'll be alright…." Violet said, her voice worried.

Petunia looked out the window from the armchair, covered in a thick blanket. "I don't." She whispered to herself.


	8. Lily meets The Slytherin

Lily trekked through the old forest with Petunia's directions, and made her way towards the old castle, it's gloomy atmosphere hanging over it like a thick curtain.

She took a deep breath and pushed the iron gates open and walked over the bridge, staring straight ahead, never letting her eyes wander from her goal.

Lily walked up towards the oak front door, and knocked loudly on it, expecting someone, anyone, to open the door.

There was shuffling behind the door and some clicking noises, and after a few moments, a young woman with bright pink hair peeked out through the crack of the door.

"Who're you?" She asked, her dark eyes scanning Lily for dangers.

"I'm here for my father." Lily said, her voice determined.

"Oh, are you?" The woman said. "You must be his other daughter, you have his hair."

Lily narrowed her eyes. _Was she trying to be nice to her? After what they've done to her father and Petunia? Not likely._

"Oh dear, how rude of me!" The woman said. "It's freezing out here, would you like to come in?"

The woman opened to door to let Lily in. Lily stood there, giving her a confused look.

After a few awkward moments, Lily stepped over the threshold, with the woman locking the door behind them.

"My name is Tonks, by the way. "The woman said with a small smile. "And don't worry about my hair, it's a talent of mine."

"Changing your looks at will? Aren't you supposed to be born with it?" Lily asked, trying not to sound rude.

"Oh yeah, of course." Tonks shrugged. "Well, my mum's a full witch, dad's a muggle-born, so it was pretty much a shock to everyone when i came out with my hair turning blue and green whenever i wanted it to-"

Lily raised an eyebrow to her. Tonks blushed. "Oh yeah! I should be taking you to your own dad, should't i? Come on-"

Tonks led Lily to a set of towering black doors, where a eery green glow was seeping from underneath it.

"Don't worry about that," Tonks said, pointing to the green glow. "Severus always has weird colors to his potions."

_'Why was she being so nice to her?_' Lily thought. _'Didn't they torture her father and her sister like Petunia said? Unless-'_

Tonks knocked on the door, snapping Lily out of thought. "Severus! Remus! Frederick's other daughter is here!"

There was more clicking behind this door, and this time, a young man, no older than Lily, stood there, his light brown and gray hair covered his scarred face.

"Oh, so this must be the famous Lily, isn't it?" The man said, his face cracked in a smile. "Fred's been talking 'bout you the whole time."

The man beckoned Lily into the room, where Lily instantly caught sight of her father, hunched over in a high-backed, winged chair, and coughing, his dark red hair disheveled.

"Dad!" Lily said, running over to her father, wrapping her arms around him.

"''M alright, m' alright." Frederick said, patting Lily in the back weakly. "Severus and his friends have been taking good care of me."

"Severus?" Lily said, loosening her grip on her father to look at him properly.

"I believe that would be me."

Lily spun around, to see a thin, tall man with shoulder length, jet-black hair and a hooked nose, standing over a cauldron full of the green substance. "Don't worry," He said, waving his thin hand over the cauldron. "This stuffs tastes better than it looks."

Lily stood up, walking over to Severus. She was bit shorter than him, so she had to look up at him. Her bright green eyes met Severus' black ones, and Severus could feel his face burn red under her beautiful gaze. Remus and Tonks noticed, suppressing grins.

"After everything i've heard today, here you are, taking care of my own father. I must say, you are my hero-" Lily said quietly.

Severus was caught by surprise at these words, but shrugged, "It was nothing."

_"NOTHING?"_ said Lily, her voice shocked. "Are you kidding me? After everything Petunia said, i thought you were trying to kill him, but you're doing the exact opposite!" Lily smiled at him, causing his face to burn red again.

Almost without thinking, Lily wrapped her arms around Severus, giving him a tight hug, trying to put all her thanks into one swift gesture, taking him by complete surprise, but Severus responded back, and hugged her back, a bit awkwardly.

"Severus and Lily, sitting in a tree,…" Tonks whispered under her breath.

"K, i, s, s, i, n, g…" Remus added. Severus stuck his tongue out at him behind Lily's back.

Much to Severus' disappointment, Lily finally let go of the hug. "So, how long does my dad have to stay here?"

Severus shifted his weight on his feet. "Well, he took it a lot worst that your sister did, considering his age, and that some of the forest's local wolves tried to get him, and he was hit with a nasty rain storm, i'd say at-least another couple of days, just to make sure."

Lily nodded. Then she thought something crazy. "Hey," She started. "Why can't i say here with him?"

Remus had to stop from Tonks gasping. _a girl? Staying at the castle? and a pretty one at that!_

"Well, uh.." Severus stammered, his face burning red. "I mean, i don't see why you'd want to stay here…."

"Why wouldn't i?" Lily said. "You've all been helping, it's the least i can do. Just to make sure he's okay, of course. Not like i don't have full confidence in all of you!" She added. "I just, want to be there for him, you know?"

Remus and Tonks stared at Severus, trying to see if they could read his expression.

After a few moments., Severus spoke. "….Fine, you can stay here for your father's sake, and we'll try to make it as comfortable for you as possibly."

"Thank you, Sev." Lily said, giving him another quick hug.

Severus blushed pink. "Uh, Tonks, go give Frederick his last dose of calming potion for tonight, and bring him up to bed."

Tonks went over to Frederick and lifted him up, walking with him steadily to leave the room.

"'Night, Dad." Lily said to him, placing a kiss on his cheek.

"'Night, Angel." Her father said in a small voice.

After Frederick and Tonks left, Remus coughed loudly, trying to get Severus' attention.

"_AHEM_."

"Remus," Severus said nonchalantly. "Do you need a cough drop? Or are you coming down with whatever Mr. Evans has? "

Remus raised his eyebrows to Severus, pointing them in Lily's direction.

Realization dawned over Severus. "Oh yes, Lily," he said. "You must have had a long journey here, would you like some dinner? The kitchen staff is always happy to serve."

"I'd love to." Lily said with smile.

Severus put his arm out, and Lily took it, and they walked out of the parlor, with Remus walking right behind them.

As they walked to the dinning room, Severus was thinking to himself.

_"Sev," _He thought, "I like that."


	9. Be Our Guest

As Severus, Lily, and Remus made their way towards the Dining hall, Lily looked around, taking in as much of the castle's atmosphere and architecture as possible. Severus smiled at Lily's avid curiosity, Remus said nothing, still suppressing his grin at them.

When they reached another set of towering doors, Severus gave a loud knock, trying to get someone's attention from the other side.

There was some loud noises, either some talking or dropping dishes, and after a few moments, the doors flew open, revealing a very handsome man with black hair and cold gray eyes, looking a bit disheveled.

"Sirius," Severus said. "We have a guest. She'd like some dinner."

Sirius' eyes went from Severus to Lily, and when they landed on Lily, he couldn't help but show his complete surprise on his handsome face, though he did stop himself from yelling _"IT'S YOU! FROM THE VILLAGE!"_ at her.

"Oh, yes, Of course." said Sirius, making room for the three of them to enter the hall. "Remus, can i have a _tiny_ word with you?"

Remus left Severus and Lily to get their own places at the table and walked over to Sirius. "What?"

"Is that who i think it is?"

"The girl from the village?

"Yes."

"Yep, that's her."

"You're joking!"

"Well, unless she's someone else in disguise, then that's her.

"So Freddie is her Dad?"

"Well, she did say 'Dad!' when she got here and saw him."

Sirius ran a hand through his dark hair. "Bloody Hell, and why is she here now? Why didn't she take Fred back to their place?"

"He's way too sick to leave, so she insisted on her staying here to help take care of him." said Remus.

"Well, she's definitely a whole lot nicer than her angel of sister, isn't she?" Sirius grinned.

Remus shrugged. "Apparently Petunia thought we were torturing them, that's what Lily said anyway. Obviously she doesn't think that now, i hope."

"Threaten to turn them into a frog and they automatically think you're torturing them," Sirius gave a shake of his head. "Women."

"You haven't hear the best part, She hugged Severus!" Remus said, his face cracked in his formerly suppressed smile.

"You're kidding!" Sirius said, his gray eyes wide. "How'd he take it?"

"I think he might like her." Remus whispered. "He started blushing when she did it."

"I don't see how you can't like her!" Sirius said. "Pretty, Kind, must be brilliant too, everyone kept singing about her reading all the time in the village."

"Yeah, that was weird." Remus said.

"Sounded cool though." Sirius retorted.

_"ARE YOU TWO QUITE DONE YET OR DO I HAVE TO GET DINNER FOR LILY MYSELF?"_

Sirius and Remus turned, to see Severus standing up at the table, Lily already sitting down, playing with her fork.

"Oh right," Sirius said. "We're supposed to be getting them dinner, aren't we?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "Sirius, you're so oblivious sometimes."

Sirius grinned "Well you didn't remind me! Plus, now i can have my song and dance now."

"Please don't." Remus urged

"Shut up, it'll look cool, just wait." Sirius said.

Remus walked towards the wall of the hall, looking nervous at Sirius' plans, Sirius, on the other hand, was smiling from ear to ear, and stepped up onto the table.

"What is this?" Severus said, confused. "A dinner show?"

"When isn't it?" Sirius responded with a bow.

Sirius waved his wand, and music started playing.

_'Ma chere Mademoiselle' _Sirius started.

_'It is with deepest pride,'_ He punched a fist into his out-puffed chest.

_'and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight.'_

Sirius smiled. _'And now we invite you to relax, let us pull up a_ _chair as the dining room proudly presents - your dinner!'_

Sirius waved his wand towards another door, which banged open, a group of people came out, their arms laden with trays of food, all beaming at Lily. Severus looked quite embarrassed indeed. Lily payed no notice, she was smiling too much.

Sirius threw his arms out._ 'Be our guest!'_

_'Be our guest!'_

_'Put our service to the test'_

_'Tie your napkin 'round your neck, cherie'_

_'And we provide the rest'_

_'Soup du jour'_

_'Hot hors d'oeuvres' _

_'Why, we only live to serve'_

Sirius landed in front of Lily, putting a tray of small pasties in front of her face.

_'Try the grey stuff, It's delicious,'_

_'__Don't believe me? Ask the dishes!'_

Sure enough, one of the other wizards charmed the dishes to come alive.

_'They can sing'_

_'They can dance'_

_'After all, Miss, this is France.' _Sirius said with a nod of his head towards Lily.

_'And a dinner here is never second best!'_

_'Go on, unfold your menu'_

_'Take a glance and then you'll_ _Be our guest'_

_'Oui, our guest'_

_'Be our guest!'_ Another wizard charmed the food to parade in front of Lily.

_'Beef ragout'_

_'Cheese souffle'_

_'Pie and pudding "en flambe!"'_ Sirius set it on fire. '_We'll prepare and serve with flair'_

_'A culinary cabaret!'_

_'You're alone' _Sirius winked.

_'And you're scared,'_

_'But the banquet's all prepared,'_

_'No one's gloomy or complaining,'_

_'While the flatware's entertaining!'_

_'We tell jokes'_

Sirius was juggling a random assortment of dining wear. _'I do tricks'_

_'With my fellow animagus!'_ _'And it's all in perfect taste,'_

_'That you can bet!'_

_'Come on and lift your glass,'_

_'You've won your own free pass'_

_'To be out guest!'_ '_If you're stressed,'_

_'It's fine dining we suggest!'_ _'Be our guest!'_

_'Be our guest!'_

_'Be our guest!'_ Sirius dimmed down the lights, making the music to go into a melodramatic, sad tune, and he dragged Remus onto the middle of the table.

"Sirius!" Remus said through clenched teeth. "What are you-"

Sirius cut Remus off, making a goofy frown on his and wrapping his arm over Remus' shoulders.

_'Life is so unnerving,' _Sirius said, his voice full of fake anguish.

_'For a servant who's not serving' _Sirius waved his hand towards Remus.

_'He's not whole without a soul to wait upon,'_

_'Ah, those good old days when we were useful,'_ Sirius looked into the air with wishful look on his face.

_'Suddenly those good old days are gone,'_

Sirius gave a mournful shake of the head.

Sirius left Remus in the middle of the table by himself, making Remus give an awkward smile. Lily laughed. Severus shook his head.

Sirius charmed two salt shakers to snow down on Remus, annoying him.

_'Ten years we've been rusting,'_

_'Needing so much more than dusting,' _Sirius sang, walking back over to Remus, pushing salt of Remus' thin shoulder.

_'Needing exercise, a chance to use our skills!'_

_'Most days we just lay around the castle," _Sirius looked at Severus with childish frown, Severus shrugged at him.

Sirius grabbed a bit of Remus' stomach. _'Flabby, fat and lazy' _Remus slapped Sirius' hand away.

Sirius smiled at Lily._ 'You walked in and oops-a-daisy!'_ A plump woman with red hair came out, with what could only be her seven children behind her, all with their own fiery head of red hair.

_'It's a guest!'_

_'It's a guest!'_

_'Sakes alive, well I'll be blessed!'_

_'Wine's been poured and thank the Lord'_

_'I've had the napkins freshly pressed!'_

_'With dessert,'_

_'She'll want tea,'_

_'And my dear," _She sang towards Lily. _'That's fine with me!'_

_'While the cups do their soft-shoein''_

_'I'll be bubbling, I'll be brewing,'_

_'I'll get warm,'_

_'Piping hot,'_

The woman looked in a shining pot.

_'Heaven's sakes! Is that a spot?'_

_'Clean it up! We want the company impressed!'_ _'We've got a lot to do!' _Sirius sang.

The woman sang back. '_Is it one lump or two?'_

_'For you, our guest!'_ _'She's our guest!'_ _'She's our guest!'_ _'She's our guest!'_

_'Be our guest! Be our guest! Be our guest!'_ _'Be our guest,'_

_'Be our guest,'_

_'Our command is your request,'_

_'It's been years since we've had anybody here,'_

_'And we're obsessed,'_

_'With your meal,'_

_'With your ease,'_

_'Yes, indeed, we aim to please!'_

_'While the candlelight's still glowing,'_

_'Let us help you,'_

_'We'll keep going'_

Sirius stood dramatically in the middle of the table, the spotlight on him.

_'Course by course,'_

_'One by one,'_

_''Til you shout, "Enough! I'm done!"'_

_'Then we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest!'_

_'Tonight you'll prop your feet up,'_

_'But for now, let's eat up!'_

_'Be our guest!'_

_'Be our guest!'_

_'Be our guest!'_

Sirius ran to the end of the table, and slid his way over to Severus and Lily on his stomach, his arms out-stretched.

_'Please, be our guest!'_

They ended their song, smiling and breathing heavily.

"Bravo! Bravo!" Lily clapped. Severus gave a small applause, his face red with slight amusement and embarrassment.

"That was wonderful!" Lily proclaimed as Sirius readjusted himself and Remus walked over, beaming.

"Thank you, Thank you." Remus said with a bow. "It was a good show, wasn't it?"

"You git, you barely did anything!" said Sirius, his face shining from his performance.

"I liked Remus' part the best." Severus said in small voice, "Very subtle, i like that." Remus stuck his tongue out at Sirius.

"Oh dear," Remus said, looking at the near-by cloak. "I think it's off to bed.

"Aww, really?" Lily said, pouting. "I've never been in an enchanted castle before!"

"Well you can have a proper tour of it tomorrow after you've had some sleep, okay?" Sirius said with a reassuring smile.

"Fine." Lily sighed.

"I'll show you to bed." Severus said, extending his hand out to Lily, which she took.

When they exited out the dining hall, the plump red haired woman walked over.

"Is that Lily?" She said.

"Sure is, Mrs. Weasley." said Remus.

"Remus, please, call me Molly." Mrs. Weasley said. "Severus sure seems to like her, doesn't he?"

"We'll see who likes who after she gets a full demonstration of Severus' temper." a blonde woman said, walking over to them.

"Bloody hell, Marlene, always the bearer of good news, aren't' you? Sirius snapped at her.

"I'm just saying!" Marlene spat back. "She looks like the curious type, she's bound to her her nose too deep into something Severus doesn't what her to see."

"Well, don't jinx it." Sirius said, narrowing his gray eyes at her.

"We'll get out of this spell, just you wait." Molly said in a reassuring whisper to Remus. After what Marlene said, he didn't look convinced.

* * *

><p>"-You can have access to everywhere in the castle," Severus spoke to Lily, leading her down a hall full of moving pictures. "Except the West Wing."<p>

Lily raised an eyebrow to Severus."What's in the West Wing-"

"IT'S FORBIDDEN." Severus snapped at her, Lily was taken aback from his random anger.

Severus exhaled. "Here, this can be your room."

Severus opened a pale blue, gilded door. "If you need anything, my servants with attend to you."

"Goodnight, Sev." Lily said in small voice.

"'Night." Severus said, closing the door.

Lily looked around the room, it had a high ceiling, decorated in an old french painting, it also had some old furniture, like a old styled-canopy bed, a desk, and an old dresser, where a pretty woman with bottle-blonde hair (her roots were brown) was currently adjusting her make-up.

"Uh…" Lily said. "Not to sound rude of anything, but who are you?"

The woman spun around. "Oh dear, i'm so sorry! I didn't know you were here! Lily, right? I'm Madam Rosmerta." She extended her hand, full of rings, towards Lily. "Tonks told me you were here. I have the room next to yours, though, my room doesn't have as nearly of a good mirror as yours does!" She gave a small laugh.

Lily gave a small smile to her. "Well, i was planning on going to bed, so.."

"Oh, of course!" Madam Rosmerta said, waving her hands at Lily. "I was just on my way out."

Madam Rosmerta gathered up her make-up and gracefully walked out of the room. "Have pleasant dreams, Mademoiselle."

"You too." Lily said, plopping onto the bed, her heading buzzing with questions.

_What was Severus so keen on hiding from Lily in the West Wing? _


	10. A Kingpen like James

James was sitting in the tavern, sulking on his favorite chair near the fire.

Wormtail walked over, a beer in his hand.

"Who does she think she is?" James spat. "That girl has tangled with the wrong man!"

Wormtail shook his head in wild agreement. "Darn right!"

James slammed his fist on the chair's arm. "No one says, "No" to James!"

James lowered his head, covering his eyes. "Dismissed! Rejected! Publicly humiliated!"

James sighed. "It's more than I can bear."

"More beer?" Wormtail asked.

"What for?" James said, his voice anguished. "Nothing helps, I'm disgraced."

Wormtail widened his beady eyes to James. "Who, you? Never!"

Wormtail put a hand on James' shoulder. "James, you've got to pull yourself together!'

_'Gosh, it disturbs me to see you James,'_

_'Looking so down in the dumps,'_

_'Every guy here'd like to be you, James,'_

_'Even when taking your lumps,'_

_'There's no man in town as admired as you,'_

_'You're everyone's favorite guy!'_

Wormtail waved towards the other tavern customers, who raised their glasses in agreement.

_'Everyone's awed and inspired by you,'_

_'And it's not very hard to see why!'_

_'No one's slick as James,'_

_'No one's quick as James,'_

_'No one's neck's as incredibly thick as James''_

_'For there's no man in town half as manly,'_

Wormtail waved his hand towards a painting of James that hanged over the fireplace.

_'Perfect, a pure paragon!'_

_'You can ask any Tom, Dick, or Stanley,'_

_'And they'll tell you whose team they prefer to be on!'_

_'No one's been like James,'_

_'A kingpin like James,'_

_'No one's got a swell cleft in his chin like James!'_

James grinned broadly. _'As a specimen, yes, I'm intimidating!_

_'My, what a guy, that James!'_

_'Give five, "Hurrahs!"'_

_'Give twelve, "Hip hips!"'_

_'James is the best and the rest is all drips!'_

Wormtail swung his beer around, accidentally throwing it in James' face. James retorted, punching Wormtail so hard in the face, it made him land on one of the tables, knocking all mens' beer everywhere, causing a small fight on one of the tables.

_'No one fights like James!'_

_'Douses lights like James!'_

_'In a wrestling match nobody bites like James!'_

_'For there's no one as burly and brawny,'_

James stood up on the table. _'As you see I've got biceps to spare!'_ showing off his arms.

Wormtail stood next to him._ 'Not a bit of him scraggly or scrawny!'_

_'That's right!' _James winked. _'And every last inch of me's covered with hair!'_

_'No one hits like James,'_

_'Matches wits like James,'_

_'In a spitting match nobody spits like James!'_

_'I'm especially good at expectorating!"_ James spat.

_'Ten points for James!'_

James stood in front on the bar, juggling eggs.

_'When I was a lad I ate four dozen eggs_

_Every morning to help me get large._

_And now that I'm grown, I eat five dozen eggs_

_So I'm roughly the size of a barge!'_

_'My, what a guy, that James!'_

James took his wand out, hitting a barrel of beer four times.

_'No one shoots like James'_ sang the four men who were getting free refills to their drinks from the shot barrel.

_'Makes those beauts 'like James,'_

_'Then goes tromping around wearing boots like James!'_

James threw himself onto his favorite chair. _'I use antlers in all of my decorating!'_

_'My, what a guy, James!'_

Everyone clapped and cheered.

Just then, the tavern door was thrown open, Petunia staggering in, her hair windswept.

"Help! Someone help me!" She screamed. "They have them!"

"Petunia?" some said, confused.

"Please, Please, i need your help!" Petunia yelled, yanking people from their collars wildly. "They have them!"

"Who?" One tavern customer said.

"My Dad and Lily!"

"Woah, woah, Petunia, slow down." James said, adjusting himself in his chair. "Who has Lily and your father?"

"A horrible Beast of a man and his servants!" Petunia bellowed. "I only barely go away, and Lily should be back from now! My mother is worried sick!"

Everyone laughed. "A beast, was he?" One said. "Was he hideously ugly?"

"He was horrible!" Petunia said dramatically. "Surely, they must of been Dark wizards!"

"Alright, Petunia," James said, his elbows on each arm of the chair. "We'll help you out."

Petunia smiled. "You will? Thank you, Thank you-"

Some the the tavern customers grabbed her, dragged her by her arms, and threw her out into the street.

"Crazy old Petunia…" they said as they walked back into the tavern, shutting the door. "She's always good for a laugh."

A thought came over James.

"Crazy old Petunia, hmmm? Crazy old Petunia…"

James looked over to Wormtail. "Wormtail, I'm afraid I've been thinking…"

Wormtail looked shocked. "A dangerous pastime."

James nodded. 'I know,'

_'But that whacky old coot is Lily's sister,'_

_'And her sanity's only "so-so"'_

_'Now the wheels in my head have been turning,'_

_'Since I looked at that loony, old girl,'_

_'See, I've promised myself I'd be married to Lily,'_

_'And right now I'm evolving a plan!'_

James pulled Wormtail close, whispering into his ear.

"If I . . . "

"Yes?"

"Then we . . ."

"No! Would she . . ."

"Guess!"

"Now I get it!"

James and Wormtail put their arms around each other. "Let's go!"

_'No one plots like James,'_

_'Takes cheap shots like James,'_

_'Plans to persecute harmless girls like James,'_

James smiled._ 'Yes, I'm endlessly, wildly resourceful."_

_'As down to the depths you descend,'_

_'I won't even be mildly remorseful,'_

_'Just as long as I get what I want in the end!'_

_'Who has brains like James?'_

_'Entertains like James?'_

_'Who can make up these endless refrains like James?'_

_'And his marriage we soon will be celebrating!'_

_'My, what a guy,'_

_'JAMES!'_

Petunia stood outside of the tavern. "Idiots." she mumbled to herself.


	11. The West Wing

Lily tossed and turned until she couldn't handle it anymore.

She got out of bed, grabbed a candle stand, and headed out into the hall.

She walked down the hall, making sure that no one could see her, trying to be as quiet as possible.

Lily went right, heading towards the west side of the castle, until she went down a dark and deserted corridor.

"Let's see what you're really hiding in the West Wing, Severus." Lily thought to herself.

She slowly opened the door, which was bruised and beaten, almost all it's paint scratched off.

'But why?' Lily thought you herself.

She stepped into the room, it was a mess to say the least.

The paintings on the walls were ruined, books were scattered everywhere, a variety of bottles lined the walls, carrying things from lacewing flies to unicorn horns.

"So he was a messy room, big deal.' Lily thought, why would Severus not want her to see that?

Just then, a light caught Lily's eye.

It was a flower, a sparkling lily, glowing bright pink in the darkness, it was incased in a glass shield.

"What the-?" Lily said, mesmerized.

Lily slowly walked over to the flower, and carefully picked up the glass shield, setting it to the side.

She didn't know why, but she wanted to touch the flower, it already had a few petals fallen off it, how much could one more hurt?

She reached her hand out, only mere inches from the flower, when a tall shadow came over her.

Lily spun to see Severus glaring down at her, his mouth in a nasty snarl, his black eyes narrowed, he grabbed the glass shield and carefully placed it back over the flower. He turned back to her, looking livid.

"I told you never to come here…" He said quietly.

"I'm sorry." Lily said, backing up.

"Why did you come here?" His voice rising.

"I said i'm sorry-" Lily started again.

"Do you realize what you could have done?" He bellowed at her.

"Please, i'm sorry-"

He had reached his boiling point. "GET OUT!"

Severus hit a table, causing it to break under his anger. "GET OUT!"

Lily didn't need a second invitation. She ran at top speed out of the room, Severus yelling "GET OUT!" once again.

She ran towards the front door, Sirius and Remus turned the corner.

"Oh hello, Lily!" Sirius said. He noticed that she was running. "Hey, where are you going?"

"Promise or no promise," Lily stammered at them. "I can't stay here with that!" She pointed towards the west side of the stairs.

Lily ripped open the door and ran out into a snow storm, slapping the door shut behind her.

She ran towards her family's stable horse and rode it across the bridge and out of the castle's gates.

Unfortunately, a gang of wolves were lingering outside of the castle, and seeing new prey, jumped at the chance.

Lily's horse barely made it two mile until the wolves caught up to them, snapping at her. Her horse tried all it to outrun the wolves, but they were too fast.

Much to their luck, the horse's saddle was caught of a tree branch was was stuck. Lily tried her hardest to get him free, but couldn't, because he was moving too much for her to release him.

The wolves caught up, snarling at her, Lily had no choice but to take her wand out at them.

One the wolves jumped at her, knocking her wand out of her grasp. Lily grabbed a fallen tree branch and swung it at the wolves, hitting a few of them, but not scaring them away.

Another one jumped and grabbed hold of her traveling cloak, dragging her to the ground. Lily screamed for help.

There was flash of red light, and three of the wolves feel to the ground, knocked out.

The wolf holding on to her cloak let go, looking for the source of the light, until it too was hit with the same spell.

Lily looked around frantically, looking for whoever saved her, until another wolf went to jump at her face, there was another flash of red and that wolf was down like it's companions.

"Don't touch her!"

Lily spun around, and saw Severus standing there in the snow, his black traveling cloak blowing around him in the wind, his teeth bared and his wand at the ready.

"Severus?" Lily said, hardly believing he was there.

Severus turned around and gave a tiny almost-smile to her. One of the non-knocked out wolves jumped at his back, pushing into the ground, biting and scratching into his arm and back.

Severus screamed, pushing the wolf into a near by tree, out cold. The other wolves, just now recovering from the blows, were stirring, and with still seeing Severus fighting, they back away, running back into the darkened forest.

Severus got back up, and looked at Lily, barely keeping his eyes open.

"…Lily.." He said feebly, he feel into the snow, blood seeping out of his robes.

Lily got up, and freed her horse. She was about to jump back onto it and leave, until she looked back at Severus. He was barely breathing, barely moving his chest.

She couldn't leave him there, how could she? He did just save her life, after all.

"and Dad." She mumbled to herself, Severus was taking care of her own father for her, that can't go unthanked.

Lily lead her horse towards Severus and, with all her strength, pulled Severus onto the horse, wrapping her traveling cloak over his wounds.

She patted her horse on the muzzle and , with Severus wrapped up, slowly lead them back to the Prince Castle.


	12. Thankful Lily

"You know, if it makes you feel any better, Lily is never this nice to guys. You must be special."

"Please be quiet."

"Actually, She's a good kid, so she's nice to everyone, but not as nice as she's treating you right now!"

"Please be quiet."

"I mean, saving her _AND_ her father's life? You're not that bad either, son."

"Mr. Evans, i really appreciate you saying that, but can you please be quiet for a just few minutes?"

Mrs. Weasley boiled some water for them when they returned, Everyone was quiet in the parlor.

"That's a nice set of cuts you've got there, Severus." Sirius said after what seemed like hours of silence. "That's something to tell the kids."

Severus narrowed his eyes at Sirius.

"Sorry," Sirius said with a sluggish grin. "Just trying to defuse the tension."

Severus and Frederick were sitting on the parlor's couch, Frederick wrapped in a thick blanket, Severus having his arm taken care of by Lily.

Lily placed the cloth in concoction she made, ringed it out, and placed it on Severus' arm.

"Ow!" Severus said, reattaching his arm from under the cloth. "What is that stuff?"

Lily pushed some of her dark red hair out of her face. "It's an old family recipe, i just mixed a few magical elements into it to help you heal faster."

"Well, it hurts." Severus said, keeping his arm close to him.

Lily stared at him. "If you kept still, it wouldn't hurt as much!"

"Well this wouldn't have happened if you didn't run away!" Severus said, a mocking smile on his face,

"IF YOU HADN'T FRIGHTENED ME, I WOULDN'T HAVE RAN AWAY!" Lily snapped back, her green eyes slits.

Severus opened his mouth to retort, but stopped to think. "Well you shouldn't have been in the West Wing!" He pointed out.

"Well you should learn to control your temper!" Lily said, staring him right in the face.

The servants gave each other tense looks, Frederick sat silently, drinking the tea Mrs. Weasley youngest child, Ginny, gave him.

"Now hold still." Lily said calmly, dragging Severus' arm out to her level. "This might sting a little."

She placed the cloth on Severus's arm, Severus clenched his teeth in pain, Lily glanced at him.

"By the way," Lily said quietly. "Thank you, for saving my life…"

Severus looked at her, his other hand on his face, "You're welcome." He said, his voice a bit confused.

"Hear, Hear!" Sirius and Frederick said, raising their hands. Frederick gave a nasty cough.

Severus looked to his left at Frederick. "I see you're reacting well to the potions."

"Well, when the maker knows what they're doing," Frederick said with a cough. "It makes all the difference."

Lily gave Severus a thankful smile.

Remus and Sirius exchanged silent grins at each other.

* * *

><p>It was daytime, the snow storm had stopped, Frederick was taking a nap, Lily was talking her horse out for stroll around the gardens, and Severus was taking in the scenery.<p>

Severus looked down at Lily from the second-story balcony, mesmerized by how her dark-red hair flowed in shining waves down her back, or how distinctly her bright green eyes sparkled, even though they were at a distance.

Severus rubbed his hand against the bandages on his right arm, and felt a great sense of guilt at lashing out at her earlier.

"I've never felt this way about anyone." Severus said to himself, with a note of confusion in his voice. Just then, a stroke of inspiration came to him. "I have to do something for her." This time, Severus' voice was full of determination.

"Oh yeah? Like what exactly?"

Severus jumped and turned around, to see Remus standing behind him, with a small smile on his face.

Remus walked over to him and gave a sigh. "So, what were you planning on getting her?"

Severus thought for moment. "I-i don't know..."

Remus shook his head. "Well, there's the usual things, Flowers, Chocolates, ...Promises you don't intend to keep..."

"Ah Remus, You're like Marlene, Always a ray of sunshine."

Severus looked to his left to see Sirius had joined them, with a wicked grin on his face.

"See, that's the problem with you two, you don't know what a girl REALLY wants." said Sirius.

"And what, _YOU_ do?" Remus said, raising an eyebrow at Sirius.

"Well i dare say, i don't see why i wouldn't." Sirius responded.

"You're only a couple of months older than me." Remus said, annoyed.

"Still counts." Sirius said with a shrug.

"Will you two stop bickering like an old married couple and help me?" Severus said, his temper flaring.

"Okay, Grumpy-Gills," said Sirius in a somewhat-soothing voice, "Whatever you're getting her, it has to be something special. You know, something that sparks her interests."

"So, what are you suggesting then?" Severus said.

"You're a smart guy, Severus, it'll come to you. Trust me." Sirius said, patting Severus on the back.

"Does that mean 'No" to my chocolate idea then?" Remus said in a small voice.


	13. Making it up to Lily

Severus walked down towards the garden, seeing that Lily was looking at the blooming flowers. Another advantage with magic, you can't get spring flowers in winter without a little help.

He grabbed a flower from one of the bushes and walked over to Lily.

"A Rose for Lily?"

Lily turned around to see Severus holding a dark red rose up to her, a small smile on his face.

"For me?" Lily said, taking the rose from him. She gave it a sniff. "Oh, these are lovely."

"Yeah, well," Severus said, staring down at his feet. "Looking out at snow the whole winter gets a little boring after awhile."

"Can i ask you something?" Lily said, causing Severus to look her in the eye, green on black. "Why Roses?"

"I always loved them." Severus shrugged. "I always thought they were the most beautiful of flowers, besides Lilies, of course."

Lily giggled. Severus blushed pink. "Lily, can i, uh, show you something?"

She put the rose behind her ear. "I'm all yours."

Lily grabbed Severus' hand. "Lead the way."

Severus looked from their linked hands to Lily's face, trying not to blush anymore, and started to lead them back into the castle.

After a few minutes, They walked up to a set of simple wooden doors. Severus let go of Lily's hand.

"Okay," Severus said in a whisper. "I want you to close your eyes and not open until i say so, okay? It's a bit of a surprise."

Lily raised an eyebrow to him, but closed her eyes all the same.

Severus waved his hands in front of her, making sure she could't see a thing, and opened the doors, grabbing hold of her hands, leading her slowly into the unknown room.

"Can i open them yet?" Lily asked, her eyebrows raised again.

"No, no, not yet." Severus said. "Wait here."

There was a rushing sound, and even though Lily's eyes were closed, she could tell the room was being filled with sunlight.

"Can i open them now? Lily laughed.

Severus looked around, making sure it all looked right. "Alright, _Now_."

Lily opened her eyes and gasped. She was standing in the biggest library i had ever seen in her whole life. There was even full staircases, leading up to a second story and even third stories of bookcases. The whole place was brought together by the large and decorated fireplace on the left side of the room.

"Can't believe it!" Lily said, her eyes wide in amazement. "I've never seen so many books in my life!" She walked around, trying to see everything.

"So….You like it?" Severus said, a hopeful smile on his face.

"Oh, it's wonderful!" Lily proclaimed.

Severus sighed in relief. "Then it's yours."

Lily looked at him, her face beaming. "Oh, Sev, thank you so much."

She hugged him, and this time, Severus hugged her back, taking in her warmth, and how her hair tickled his nose.

Lily loosening her grip and looked at Severus, smiling, his arms wrapped around her. She leaned in a place a kiss on his nose. Severus' eyes widened in surprise.

"You know," Lily said playfully. "I've always liked you nose, it makes you look unique."

Sirius, Remus, Tonks. Marlene, Mrs. Weasley, Her identical twin sons, Fred and George, and her daughter Ginny, looked in on the scene.

"Well, would you look at that!" George said, punching his twin in the arm.

"What?" Ginny said, trying to look over them

"I _knew_ it would work." Sirius said to Remus.

"What worked?" Ginny asked, her brown eyes confused.

Remus laughed. "Well, it's very encouraging."

"Isn't this exciting? Tonks asked Marlene.

"Of course it is! It's much better than what i thought was going to happen!" Marlene whispered back.

Ginny looked mad. "I didn't see anything!"

"Now come on, Ginny, " Her mother said. "There's chores to be done in the kitchen."

They walked away, Ginny was still confused. "But what were they talking about? What's going on? Come on, mom-"

Over the next few days, Severus and Lily were hardly out of each other's company, eating together, reading together, even making potions for Lily's father together.

Lily hadn't notice it before, and it could have been how much time she was spending with him, but Severus was quite handsome, and he opened up to her about himself, something she never experienced with someone else before.

"No parents, huh?" Lily said, linking Severus' and her fingers together while they walked down a corridor on the east side of the castle one day.

"Well, my mum left the castle to me," Severus explained. "That's why we have "P" everywhere, it stands for her maiden name, 'Prince'. She's off somewhere in Russia, looking for new spells, i reckon."

"But your dad is gone?" Lily asked.

"And good riddance to him," Severus said disdainfully. "All of my family were wizards except for him, he absolutely _loathed_ magic."

"Sounds like someone i know." Lily said. She thought of Petunia and her jealousy.

Meanwhile, the servants took it upon themselves to clean the whole castle, or in Remus' words, make it "the most spontaneous, romantic atmosphere known to man, or beast."

Remus liked his little joke.


	14. Beauty and the Beast

Severus spat bubbles out of his mouth. "If you're trying to drown me, may i say now that you're doing a pretty damn good job at it!"

Sirius rolled his eyes. "Think of the positives, Severus! Tonight's the night!"

Severus sat in his bath, fuming, wiping his black hair out of his eyes. "Even Frederick likes you! And everyone knows how hard it is to impress the girl's father!" Sirius went on, balancing on his stool.

Remus threw another bucket of water over Severus' head, causing more of his hair to cover his eyes.

"I don't know," Severus said, pushing his hair out of his eyes again. "I don't think i can do this."

Severus looked across the room, seeing the glowing pink lily in it's glass, starting to wilt.

"See?" Sirius said, pointing to the flower. "You don't have time to be timid!"

Sirius puffed out his chest and put his fist on it. "You must be bold, daring."

"Bold, Daring." Severus repeated, shaking himself off of the water and stepping out of the bath.

"There will be music, romantic candle light" Sirius pressed on. "Provided by myself, of course."

"And when the moment is right?" Remus said.

"He confesses his love!" Sirius said with a wave of his arm.

"Yes," Severus said, drying his hair. "Wait, no-no-" he shook his head. "I can't do it..."

Sirius put his hands on his hips. "Well you care for the girl, don't you?"

"More than anything" Severus said quietly.

"Well there! Tell her that!" Sirius said, slapping him on the back. "Oh, sorry.."

"If you put my hair in a bow, i'll kill you." Severus said to Remus, who came over with a bow of ribbons.

"Fine," Remus said,, snapping the box shut. "But don't come complaining to me when Lily finds a black hair in her soup or something."

"That's silly, I'd blame it on Sirius." Severus said nonchalantly.

Sirius turned on his heel and look at them. "Hey!"

Severus and Remus laughed.

* * *

><p>Severus waited for Lily at the top of the stairs leading to the castle's shining dance floor.<p>

A door opened, and Lily walked out, smiling, her dark red hair falling down her back in waves, her beautiful dress a pale shade of green that complemented her own green eyes.

They both beamed at each other, leading one another to the dance floor, completely lost in their own little world, dancing to the music.

_'Tale as old as time,_

_True as it can be,_

_Barely even friends,_

_Then some body bends,_

_Unexpectedly.'_

_'Just a little change,_

_Small to say the least,_

_Both a little scared,_

_Neither one prepared,_

_Beauty and the beast.'_

_'Ever just the same,_

_Ever a surprise,_

_Ever as before,_

_Ever just as sure,_

_As the sun will rise.'_

_'Tale as old as time,_

_Tune as old as song,_

_Bitter sweet and strange,_

_Finding you can change,_

_Learning you were wrong,_

Severus placed his head in the crook of Lily's neck, taking in her warmth. Lily smiled into Severus' shoulder.

_Certain as the sun,_

_Rising in the east.'_

_'Tale as old as time,_

_Song as old as rhyme,_

_Beauty and the Beast.' _

The all of the castle's inhabitants were watching them, smiling at each other, Hope was back at last.

Frederick Evans stood next to Mrs. Weasley and Ginny, looking down at the scene, smiling.

Ginny yawned loudly.

"Off to bed with you, Love, it's way past your bed time." Mrs. Weasley said, stroking her daughter's hair.

"I'm not tired, honest." Ginny said, barely keeping her eyes open.

Severus lead Lily out onto the balcony, sitting next to her.

"Lily," He said, taking her hands into his own. "Are you happy here? With me?'

"Oh yes." Lily smiled at him, but then she looked towards the horizon, with a sad look in her green eyes.

"What's wrong?" Severus said, his brow furrowed.

"It's been long so long since i've seen my mother or sister, i just want to see them, make sure they're alright." Lily said, looking at the ground.

"There is a way, you know." Severus said to her.

Severus lead Lily back into the castle, up into the newly cleaned West Wing, and reached for a shining silver mirror.

"This mirror will show you anything, anything you wish to see." Severus said, handing the mirror to Lily.

Lily took the mirror. "I'd like to see my mother and sister, Please."Lily said uncertainly.

The mirror glowed green, and showed her mother, a deranged look on her pretty face, whispering "they'll be okay" over and over again. Petunia stood by the window, looking anxious, but still with a wild grin on her thin face.

"No, no-" Lily said, shaking her head. "That can't be happening…"

Severus gave Lily a concerned look. "What's wrong?"

Lily shook her head again. "Mum's losing it! She probably think we're dead and she can't handle it! And Petunia isn't helping at all. Oh god-"

Severus thought for moment to hug Lily, tell her it was okay, but he went against it.

"Go then." Severus said, he voice sickened with sadness, his black eyes on Lily's worried frame.

"What, but what about you? and everyone else here-" Lily said.

"Your father is fine, he can travel know." Severus said, forcing the words out. "Go to your family, they need you more than i,- we do. It's okay."

Lily went over to Severus and gave him a tight squeeze. "Thank you." She whispered to him, placing a kiss on his cheek.

She handled the mirror back, but Severus pushed it away. "Keep it," He said, looking into her green eyes. "Take it with you, so you can always have a way to back, and-" Severus ran a hand through Lily's dark red hair. "-remember me."

"Thank you, Sev." Lily said quietly to him. "Thank you for understanding how much they mean to me."

Despite his sadness, Severus gave a tiny smile to her.

Lily dashed out of the room, Remus stuck in head in.

"Well, well, well," Remus said with a grin. "Everything went swimmingly, I knew you had it in you!"

"I let her go." Severus whispered.

"Aha, yes splendid-" Remus' realized what he just said, his eyes bulged. "You WHAT? How could you do that?"

"I had to." Severus said, not looking at him in the eye.

"Yes, but, but, but-" Remus stuttered, lost for words. "_Why_?"

"Because," Severus said, his head bowed towards the glowing, wilting lily. "I love her."


	15. Kill the Beast

"HE DID _WHAT_?"

"Yes." Remus said, staring down at the ground. "I'm afraid it's true."

"She's going away?" Ginny asked, her eyes worried.

Sirius slumped down. "But he was so close!"

Mrs. Weasley shook her head. "After all this time…He's finally learned to love."

Madam Rosmerta and Tonks looked at each other, frowning.

Sirius jumped up. "That's it then! That should break the spell!"

"But that's not enough," Mrs. Weasley said solemnly. "She has to love him in return."

Remus sighed. "Now it's too late…"

* * *

><p>Severus watched from the West Wing window, seeing Lily and her father ride out of the castle gates. He slumped against his arm, trying hold back from running after her.<p>

Lily and her father rode as fast as they could to the village, their spirits being lifted when their home came into view.

Frederick and Lily slid off the horse and ran towards the front door. Lily couldn't help but notice a odd, short snowman outside of the porch, with small, very realistic beady eyes, but Lily paid no attention to it.

Frederick threw open the door, looking for his wife.

"Oh dear," Violet said from the kitchen table. "The wind blew the door open again!"

Violet got up unsteadily and walked over to the door, and after a few moments, she finally noticed her husband and daughter.

Violet stared at them. "Freddie? Lily?"

"Vi." Frederick said, wrapping his arms around his wife and kissing her on the head. "We've been apart too long, i'm so sorry."

"Oh Freddie," Violet said, her voice cracking, her green eyes full of tears. "I thought i lost you…"

Lily couldn't tell why, but when she saw her parents embracing, she felt lonely. She thought explicitly of Severus, and how he was able to put everything he was feeling into his embraces , and how his head fit perfectly into the crook of her neck when they were dancing. It seems so long ago now…

"You're here?"

Lily turned around, seeing Petunia in her night gown, her pale eyes bulging. "I bought they were holding you prisoner!"

She narrowed her eyes at her sister. "You think a lot of things, don't you?"

"I have no idea what you mean." Petunia said, not looking at her.

"How does "they tortured us" sound? Or that dad was in mortal danger?" Lily said, stepping toward she sister.

Petunia waved her hand. "It's been so long, everything's a blur-"

"YOU LIED!" Lily bellowed at Petunia. "You said they were going to kill dad! but they weren't! They were taking care of him!" She took another step towards her. "And you called Severus all those _awful_ things! You'd be lucky to know a man a good as him!"

Petunia stared at her sister in disbelief. "Lily, this could just be me," She said slowly. "But it seems to me that you might, oh what's the word, _LIKE_ him?"

Lily was taken aback. "He's my friend!"

Petunia smirked. "I'm sure he is. Another freak like you, a whole castle full of them actually, what did you do the whole time? Discuss different charms with each other in-between snog sessions with him? He must be a good snog, it can make up for his giant nose."

"Petunia, Sweetie, why are you acting like this?" Violet said, extending an arm to her oldest daughter.

"Because i'm the eldest!" She bellowed. "How do you think it feels being the oldest child, the non-pretty one, the who never gets a second glance from men, the one with no magical abilities, while your younger sister gets everything you have ever wanted?"

Lily stared at her. "Is that what's been bothering you? I can do magic and you can't?"

"Of course isn't just that," Petunia said, her eyes on the brink of crying. "You have boys diving over each other just to talk to you, no one in this bloody village likes me, they're all scared of me!"

Lily stepped up to her sister and hugged her. "I'm sorry, Tuney." Petunia rubbed her eyes on his night gown sleeve. "If i could give you anything, i would."

Petunia sniffed. "You-you would?"

Lily locked eyes with her sister. "Of course."

Petunia did something she almost never did. She smiled. "Thanks, Lils. I'm sorry for saying all those things about you, and Severus and his friends too."

Violet raised her eyebrow to her husband. "Severus? Who's this Severus you keep talking about?"

Frederick smiled. "This great guy, he took care of me when i was sick, he even saved Lily's life."

"You're joking." Violet said, Looking at her youngest daughter. Lily blushed red.

"Well?" Violet asked.

"Well what?" Lily said, confused.

"Do you like him?" Violet said, grinning.

Lily thought for a moment. "I-i…"

There was loud knock at the window, causing all of them to jump.

They all spun around, and saw a bright mane of red hair jumping in and out of view.

Frederick walked open to the window and yanked it open, revealing a small girl, her long red hair covered in snow.

"Hi!" she said brightly.

"Ginny?" LIly said, some-what amused. "What are you doing here? Does your mother know you're here?"

"I followed you out of the castle, so she doesn't know ("Oh sneaky girl! Frederick said.), and i wanted to ask you something." Ginny said, climbing in the house from the window. Violet laughed.

"Why'd you leave, Lily?" Ginny asked, her brown eyes glistening. "Don't you like us anymore?"

Lily sighed. "Oh Ginny, of course i do, it's just-"

There was a knock at the door.

Petunia opened it, saw who was on the other side, and tried to slam it shut again.

"Oh no you don't." A sly voice said from the outside. "I've come to collect you and your mother."

He pushed open the door. He was rod-thin, balding, and had an odd green tinge to his skin.

"Collect us?" Petunia stammered. "But-but why?"

"Don't worry, Mademoiselle," The man said, showing off his yellow teeth. "We'll take good care of you both,"

The man waved towards his carriages, which had "ASYLUM FOR LOONS" painted of the side in blood red paint, a crowd standing around it with torches.

Lily ran up to him. "My mother and sister aren't' crazy!"

"Are you kidding?"

Lily looked down, sure enough, Wormtail was there, holding his own torch. "She ran into the tavern, raving like a lunatic! We all heard her, didn't we?"

The crowd cheered in agreement.

Wormtail went on. "Plus, your mum's been losing it! Now that she's obviously seen you again for one last time, it seems best to take her and you lovely sister away, for everyone's sake."

"Lily," Petunia said, her pale eyes filling with tears. "I was so mad, i never meant for my stupid lies to go this far.."

Lily looked at her sister in disbelief. She then looked back at the man. "I'm not letting you take them!"

"Lily?" Violet said, walking out to the porch. "What's going on?"

"Violet!" Wormtail said with a small bow. "Hasn't you little daughter told you about her wonderful experience? Went on about these dark wizards, torturing her and your dear husband! You must heard something, why else would you lock yourself up in your house this whole time?"

Wormtail gave a wheezy giggle, the crowd joined in.

"Dear Petunia even told us about that "beast" of a man that lives up in the castle!" Wormtail said. "Said he was dead ugly, horrible temper, kills without a second thought... Right, Tuney?"

The crowd burst out laughing.

"You have it all wrong!" Petunia said, speaking out to the crowd. "I wasn't thinking, none of that is true!"

"And now she's lying?" Wormtail said in fake shock. "Get out them out of here!"

The asylum guards grabbed Petunia and Violet by the arms, none to gently.

Frederick ran out. "Get your hands off my daughter! and especially off my wife!"

"You can't do this!" Lily yelled at the crowd.

"Poor Lily."

Lily turned around, and saw James looking down at her, his face cracked in a fake frown.

James put his arm around Lily's shoulders. "It's too bad about your mother and sister." He shook his head.

"Will you tell them they're not crazy, James?" Lily pleaded.

James scratched his face in fake concern. "Well…i might be able to sort out this little mishap…_IF_.."

"If what?" Lily asked.

"If you marry me." James said with a nasty grin.

Lily was shocked. "What?"

"Yes, it's just one little word, Lily." James said, his face close to Lily's. "That's all it takes."

"No," Lily said, her temper flaring. "Never!" She pushed James away.

"Fine," James spat. "Have it your way."

"Lily!" Petunia and Violet were fighting against the guards, Frederick trying to pry them off his daughter and wife, but was losing.

Lily had no choice, she ran back into the house and grabbed the enchanted mirror.

"Look!" She yelled to the crowd. "They're not crazy, and i can prove it!"

"Show me Severus!" Lily yelled at the mirror.

The mirror glowed green, and Lily turned in to the crowd.

The mirror showed Severus wallowing in his self-pity, curled up in a ball, his hair lank, with his hooked nose protruding from under it, he was shooting random spells from his wand, either green or purple in color, not caring where it hit.

The crowd gasped. "Is he dangerous?'

"Oh no," Lily said. "He wouldn't hurt anyone."

Lily looked around at the crowd "Please, i know he looks a bit vicious, but he's really kind, and gentle."

She looked into the mirror, taking in his facial structure. "He's my friend."

"If i didn't know better," James said, grabbing the mirror from Lily's grasp. "I'd think you had _feelings_ for this-this-_monster_."

"He's no monster, James." Lily snapped at him. "You are!"

James' face was in snarl. "She's as crazy as the rest of them!"

He thought for moment, his face cracked in a evil grin, and looked around at the crowd. _'That beast will make off with your children!'_

The crowd gasped, grabbing on to their own kids. "No-" Lily said, shocked.

_'He'll come after them in the night!"_

_'We're not safe under his body is burnt at the stake! I say we kill the beast!'_

_'Kill him!'_

_'We're not safe until he's dead.'_

_'He'll come stalking us at night!'_

_'Set to sacrifice our children to his monstrous appetite.'_

_'He'll wreak havoc on our village if we let him wander free.'_

James dragged his black horse over. _'So it's time to take some action, boys_

_It's time to follow me!'_

_'Through the mist_

_Through the woods_

_Through the darkness and the shadows_

_It's a nightmare but it's one exciting ride_

_Say a prayer_

_Then we're there_

_At the drawbridge of a castle_

_And there's something truly terrible inside_

_It's a beast_

_He's got fangs_

_Razor sharp ones_

_Massive paws_

_Killer claws for the feast_

_Hear him roar_

_See him foam_

_But we're not coming home_

_'Til he's dead_

_Good and dead_

_Kill the Beast!'_

"No!" Lily screamed. "I won't let you do this!"

James threw her off. "If you're not with us, you're against us!

Bring the rest of them!"

Frederick yelled. "Get your hands off me!"

"We can't have them running off to warn the creature!" James bellowed at the crowd.

They threw the Evans into their cellar, and locked the door on them.

Lily banged her fists on the door. "Let us out!"

James looked to the crowd. "We'll rid the village of this Beast. Who's with me?"

_'I am! I am! I am!'_

_'Light your torch,'_

_'Mount your horse'_

_'Screw your courage to the sticking place!' _James bellowed.

_'We're counting on James to lead the way_

_Through a mist_

_Through a wood_

_Where within a haunted castle_

_Something's lurking that you don't see every day_

_It's a beast_

_One as tall as a mountain_

_We won't rest_

_'Til he's good and deceased_

_Sally forth_

_Tally ho_

_Grab your sword_

_Grab your bow_

_Praise the Lord and here we go!'_

_'We'll lay siege to the castle and bring back his head!'_

Lily's eyes started to tear up. "I have to warn Severus! This is all my fault. Oh, God, what are we going to do?"

Violet patted Lily on the back. "Now, now, we'll think of something."

The Mob was making it's why through the forest, determination and hatred in everyone's faces.

_'We don't like_

_What we don't understand_

_In fact it scares us_

_And this monster is mysterious at least_

_Bring your guns_

_Bring your knives_

_Save your children and your wives_

_We'll save our village and our lives_

_We'll kill the Beast!'_

* * *

><p>In the castle, Remus was fuming."I knew it! I knew it was foolish to get our hopes up."<p>

Sirius nodded in agreement. "Maybe it would have been better if she had never come at all."

Madam Rosmerta looked out the window. "Could it be?" she said, her green eyes wide.

Mrs. Weasley walked over to see for herself. "Is it she?"

Sirius looked down, and saw a mob, full of weapons and flames.

"Sacre Bleu!" He yelled. "Invaders!"

"Encroachers!" Remus proclaimed.

Mrs. Weasley's eyes bulged. "And they have the mirror!" Pointing to James' hand, gripped over the silver mirror handle.

"Warn Severus, If it's a fight they want, we'll be ready for them! Who's with me?" Remus said to them. Everyone nodded in silent agreement.

The Mob was right outside the front door.

"Take whatever booty you can find." James told the crowd. "But remember, _the Beast is mine_!"

* * *

><p><span>Author's note:<span> I purposely made it so James associates Snape as a "beast", even going as far as claiming that he is actually one. I did that as a way to show that James is going to any length to get the village to go against him, also, James pretty much believes that Snape is a dark wizard, and he finds that "monstrous."

A.k.a James is pretty much losing it at this point.


	16. The Final Battle

The atmosphere in the castle ran high at the impending doom.

'_Hearts ablaze,_

_Banners high,_

_We go marching into battle,_

_Unafraid although the danger just increased!'_

The Mob was chanting.

_'Raise the flag,_

_Sing the song_

_Here we come, we're fifty strong,_

_And fifty Frenchmen can't be wrong,_

_Let's kill the Beast!'_

They were banging on the door with a fallen tree, trying to break it down. The servants on the other side were putting all their strength into keeping it strong, if only for awhile.

Mrs. Weasley knocked softly on the wall of the West Wing wall. "Pardon me, Severus."

Severus had his head bowed, looking only at the wilting lily. "Leave me in peace."

"But Severus!" Mrs. Weasley urged. "The castle is under attack!"

The Mob was still chanting, their threats easily heard from the West Wing.

"Kill the Beast!" The Mob exclaimed. "Kill the Beast!"

Sirius was sweating bullets. "This isn't working!" The Mob was edging closer and closer to breaking down the door.

"Oh Sirius, we must do something!" Tonks yelled.

"Wait!" Sirius proclaimed. "I know!"

The Mob was still chanting.

_'Kill the Beast!'_

_'Kill the Beast!'_

"What shall we do, Severus?" Mrs. Weasley asked, her voice worried.

"It doesn't matter now. Just let them come." Severus said, waving her away.

_'Kill the Beast!'_

_'Kill the Beast!'_

_'Kill the Beast!'_

The front door flew open, much to the mob's surprised. They walked into the castle's main hall, no one was there, dead silent.

James signaled to the mob to follow him, looking around for anyone.

"NOW!" Sirius' voice rang out.

Almost out of thin air, all the servants appeared, there wands at the ready.

A huge fight broke out, some people turning into tea cups, others being knocked out old, some of the servants even charmed the furniture to come alive, to join the fight.

James looked around that the mayhem, and ran up the stairs, looking for his real prize.

* * *

><p>Back the village, Frederick's invention roared to life.<p>

"What the-?" Petunia said, snapping out of stroking Lily's hair for comfort. "Did anyone else hear that?"

Lily sniffed. "Hear what?"

"That noise, it sounded like a brewery being ambushed." Petunia said, looking towards the cellar door.

"Oh honey," Violet said, rubbing Petunia on the back. "We've all had a rough night. You're hearing things."

Petunia gave her a angry look. "Mum, I've already when accused of being crazy tonight, I know i heard something."

"Sssh!" Frederick said, they all fell silent.

Surely enough, there was a sound like Petunia said, and it sounded like it was coming closer.

Frederick looked out of a crack in the door. "What the devil-"

Frederick spun back them. "Everyone, watch out!"

He pushed his wife and daughters out the way of the door, which was smashing open by a moving axe, billowing a pale blue smoke, Frederick's invention fell into the cellar, breaking into a pile of pieces.

"Hello?" Violet asked, "Who's there?'

There was fit of giggles, and Ginny popped out of the rubble, her red hair and face covered in ash.

"You guys have _got_ to try this thing!"

* * *

><p>Back at the castle, the mayhem was still underway, Mrs. Weasley had insisted on the help of her six sons (who were too happy to join) to stop anyone who posed a threat.<p>

"Up here, ye' scurvy scum!" The Weasley Twins bellowed, throwing boiling tea at the mob. "We should do this more often." George said, Fred nodded in agreement.

Madam Rosmerta and Tonks stood there, not fighting, when two men came over wielding pitchforks.

"Aye, two pretty girls like you shouldn't be here in between all this fighting, don't you think?"

Tonks and Rosmerta looked at each other and grinned, withdrawing their wands from their belts. "Not even close."

Sirius ran over, blasting a man off his feet and into the wall when he tried to throw Marlene off the staircase. "Where the bloody hell is Remus?"

"AHAHAHAHA!"

Sirius spun around, to see Remus in a Napoleon-styled hair and sash, wielding his wand and an old-fashioned piston, a wild grin on his face.

There was a scream, Remus looked around, to see Tonks had lost her wand, and Wormtail was bearing down her.

"Oh no you don't!" Remus bellowed, he went on the staircase's railing and slid down it, ripping his hat off and waved it around.

Remus landed at the end of the railing and stuck his wand in Wormtail somewhere you really don't want it to go, Wormtail jumped, clinging to his backside, Tonks hit him the gut with her foot.

From the outside of the castle, Lily had gotten her horse back and was racing towards the castle, her family close by, time ticking by, minute by minutes as she rode.

Wormtail and a another group of men were chasing Ron, Mrs. Weasley's youngest son. He ran towards the kitchen. The men burst open the door, smiling, when Ron's older brothers, Bill and Charlie, came out from behind them, charming knifes to attack.

The Mob scrabbled to get out of the castle as fast as they could, crawling if they had to.

When the last man ran out, trying to put out the fire on his backside, Fred and George slammed the door shut.

"and stay out!" Remus yelled, shaking his fist. Sirius laughed, and kissed Remus on each cheek playfully. Remus slapped him away."Stop acting so french, you git."

* * *

><p>Severus sat in the West Wing, the rain beating down on the windows.<p>

James quietly opened the door, his wand, bow, and arrows at the ready.

He silently sneaked into the room, Severus saw him, but didn't even respond back.

James smiled at him. He positioned his bow and shot him, straight in the shoulder blade.

Severus screamed, James ran up to him, pushing him out of the window and onto the balcony, raining pounding down on his face.

James laughed, Severus tried to get back up, but James ran over to him again and pushed him over the edge, onto a lower level of the castle's roof.

Severus' arm hanged over the roof's ledge. James walked over to him

"Get up!" James demanded. Severus looked at him, his black eyes weary.

James sneered. "I said, _GET_ _UP_!"

James kicked him in the ribs, Severus heaved for air.

"What's the matter, _BEAST_?" James smiled. "Too kind and gentle _TO_ _FIGHT_ _BACK_?"

James gave a merciless laugh.

He walked over to the edge of the roof, ripping a protruding piece of it off, walking back over to Severus, lifting the roof piece over his head.

"No!"

Severus lifted his head slightly, to see Lily racing towards the castle, her family running near by.

"…Lily..?"

"No! James, Don't!" Lily screamed.

James swung the piece down, towards Severus' head. Before it hit, however, Severus' hand caught it, pushing it away from him.

"What the-?" James said.

Severus stood up, a small line of blood dripping down his mouth, snarling at James.

James laughed. "Ready to fight back now, are you?"'

Lily ran into the castle. "Lily!" some of them said, amazed at her reappearance, but she payed no attention to them.

James and Severus brawled, running all over the roof, trying their hardest to push each other off.

Severus dragged them down to a flat section of the roof, where gargoyle statures were standing. Severus swiftly hid in the shadows.

James still had his broken off roof piece, and swung it down, thinking it was Severus, but it turned out to be one of the gargoyle statues.

"Come on out and fight!" James bellowed.

James started walking, looking for Severus.

"Are you in love with her, _BEAST_?' James spat, laughing.

"Did you honestly think she'd want you, WHEN SHE HAD SOMEONE LIKE _ME_?" James swung at another gargoyle statue, breaking it's head off.

Severus hit James' with a jinx, James spun around, trying to hit him with the broken off roof piece again, but Severus ducked it.

They reached another edge. "It's over, BEAST!" James screamed, throwing the roof piece away and whipping out his wand. "Lily is mine!"

Severus pounced on James, grabbing him by the throat, and dangled him over the edge,

James lost grip of his wand, he watched as it fall down into the dark depths below. "Let me go, Please!" James pleaded, his brown eyes terrified. "Don't hurt me, I'll do anything! Anything!"

Lightning struck, illuminating Severus' face. He showed no remorse for James, every line of his face etched with hatred at the man who's life was dangling in his hands.

_'It was all up to him.'_ Severus thought. Severus stared at James, long and hard, but why couldn't he just let him go?

Severus brought James back to the roof, not loosening his grip on his throat.

"Get out." Severus said , his black eyes burning into James'.

Severus let go of James' throat, a disgusted look on his face. James staggered backwards, breathing heavy.

"Severus!"

Severus spun on the spot, seeing Lily from the West Wing tower, only a few yards away from him.

"Lily.,." he said, a smile stretching onto his pale face.

Lily extended a hand towards him, Severus climbed over to her, until he was finally mere feet from her.

Severus took her hand. "Lily…You came back."

He pulled himself up, only a foot away from Lily. He ran his hand through her dark red hair, her face laying on his palm, smiling at him with her bright green eyes sparkling.

Severus felt a jolt of pain in his side and screamed. "Severus!" Lily screamed.

She looked over, to see James had too climbed up, and had stabbed Severus in the side, a nasty grin on his face.

"Never liked the muggle methods myself." James yelled. "But this will will have to make due!"

Severus swung his arms back in pain, James tried to keep holding into the ledge, but lost his grip, and slid off the roof, screaming like a little girl into the dark depths below.

Lily grabbed Severus by the collar and pulled him onto the balcony.

Sirius, Remus, and Tonks ran over, panting.

Tonks saw Severus and gasped. "Oh no…"

Lily gently put Severus on his back, caressing his face, her green eyes welling up with tears.

Severus' breathing was shallow. He looked at Lily, a tiny smile crossing over his face.

"You came back…" He said again in a small voice.

"Of course i came back." Lily said, holding back tears. "I couldn't-"

Tears started to flow down her cheeks. "Oh god, this is all my fault…"

Lily wrapping her arms around Severus'. "If only i got here sooner…"

"Maybe," Severus said, his eyes half-closed, "It's better this way.."

"Don't talk like that, Sev." Lily said, the rain mixing with her tears. "You'll be alright…."

Severus' coughed, Lily placed a hand on his face. "We're together now, right? Everything is going to be fine, you'll see-"

Severus put his hand into Lily's red hair, letting it run through his thin fingers. Lily grabbed his hand.

"At-least," Severus breathed. "I got to see you….for one last time..."

Severus' hand went limp, falling to his side. Lily threw her hands over her mouth. "No…no-"

"Please, please" Lily begged, putting her head on Severus' still chest. "Please don't leave me." Her face was soaked with tears.

"I love you." She whispered to him, her eyes closed shut.

Remus looked to his side, and saw the last petal fall from the lily. The pink glow was gone.

Tears started falling down Tonks' pale face, Remus put a comforting arm around her shoulders. Sirius looked, for the first time in his life, close to crying.

Lily had her face burrowed into Severus' chest, not noticing the sudden appearance of beams of light that were falling around them from the sky.

Remus nudged Sirius, pointing to the beams. Sirius' eyes bulged, his mouth hanging open.

More and more beams fell, until they illuminated the ground so much, that Lily looked up. "Huh-?"

Lily lifted her head from Severus's still form, looking at the lights, a particularly bright one, golden in color, fell straight into Severus' chest.

Severus' chest started to move slowly, Lily's eyes widened in shock.

"No way." Sirius said, his mouth twitching.

"I didn't even know this could happen!" Remus whispered.

"Will you two shut up?" Tonks snapped, wiping her cheeks off.

Severus' breath slowly came back to him, until he finally stirred, his black eyes popping open.

He looked up at her. "Lily…?"

Lily wiped her tears away from her face. "Sev."

Severus pushed himself up and onto his feet, hardly believing he was still alive. "Lily..you..?"

Lily laughed, getting up as well, small tears still falling down her face. "I do, Sev, i really do."

She ran a hand across the contours of Severus' face, his hand going through her hair.

Without even thinking, lost in each-other's eyes, green on black, Severus leaned in, kissing Lily full on the lips. Lily wrapped her arms around his neck, running her hands through his hair, trying to eliminate any extra space between their bodies, her own dark red hair flowing onto his shoulders. Severus was so enthusiastic, he actually lifted Lily off her feet.

Fireworks went off, Sirius looked down to see the Weasley Twins grinning broadly up at him from the lower level, their hands black from gun powder.

"Too soon?" Fred asked, rubbing hands off on his pants.

"Not soon enough!" Tonks yelled back.

Ginny ran up to the balcony, and saw Lily and Severus with their arms wrapped around each-other, Severus placing small kisses over Lily's face.

Ginny stuck her tongue out. "Eww!"

The adults laughed. "Gotta love Ginny." Remus whispered to Tonks.

Severus and Lily giggled to each-other. "Maybe you can read me some Shakespeare later…" Lily said, placing her straight nose on Severus' hooked one.

Severus kissed her again. "Whatever your heart desires, my dear." He placed another kiss on her forehead, smiling brighter than he even had in his whole life.


	17. Epilogue

Severus and Lily were in the middle of the dance floor, with a group of onlookers watching them happily, smiling and laughing, Lily's green dress flowing around her, she was absolutely glowing.

Mrs. Weasley stood watching, Fred and George standing next to her. Madam Rosmerta walked up to her, grinning.

"You know," She said, putting her mouth near Mrs. Weasley's ear. "I've always loved that dress on her."

"Too bad she won't be fitting into it in few months." Mrs. Weasley responded, her face beaming.

Rosmerta gasped. "You're joking! Another one?"

"Not joking, she told Tonks and me this morning at breakfast." Mrs. Weasley nodded. "And it's not just one, it's two."

"Two what?" Fred said, inclining his head towards his mother.

"Never you mind." Mrs.. Weasley said, looking back at the dance floor.

Fred looked over at his twin. "You reckon Petunia is going to like two more of them running around?"

"I think she's actually a bit pre-occupied at the moment." George said, pointing to his right.

Petunia was chatting up with a large man with a dark mustache, smiling at him.

"Vernon Dursley." George whispered to his twin. "Big salesman up in England."

"Brilliant." Fred sighed. "At-least she'll have man to keep her occupied, i don't think i can take another angry ranting from her."

"Maybe we shouldn't have put those beetles in her soup then." said George.

Fred smiled. "Completely worth it though."

Severus and Lily left the dance floor, with a flurry of applause preceding them.

They walked hand in hand over to Lily's parents and Severus' Mother, Eileen, who were cooing over a bundle of soft pink blankets that Violet was holding.

Looking down at the bundle of blankets, they saw a tiny baby, her dark red hair poking out in curls, her bright green eyes looking at the adults surrounding her.

"A Rose for a Lily." Severus whispered so only Lily could hear. Lily was handed over her small daughter and cradled the infant in her arms.

Severus placed his chin on Lily's shoulder and looked down at their daughter. "Rosie is going to look just as beautiful as her mum when she gets older." Severus placed a kiss on Lily's cheek.

"I hope her little brother looks just as handsome as his dad." Lily whispered back, curling one of Rose's curls around her finger.

Severus rubbed his hand over Lily's small pregnant belly. "Hopefully only Freddie gets stuck with my nose" Severus said. "I don't think Alice would appreciate having this beak for a nose." He pointed to his face.

Rose wiggled her small arm out of her wrappings and waved it towards her father. "What's up, Rosie? Severus said, lowering his face towards her.

Rose grabbed Severus' nose with her small hand and smiled, Lily laughed. "I told you so, Sev. I'm not the only one who likes your nose!"

"Well, if anything, I still hope only Freddie gets it," Severus said matter-of-factly. "I don't think my nose could work on any of my daughters' faces." Lily rolled her eyes. "Can we just agree to hope for a healthy set of twins?"

Severus smiled. "Deal."

Remus stood near by, Tonks' head resting on his shoulder, looking over at Severus and Lily.

"Do you reckon if we had a kid, they would be able to change their looks like me?" Tonks asked nonchalantly.

Remus blushed red. "Tonks, Please, you haven't even met my parents yet!"

Tonks giggled. "Just a thought."

Sirius walked over, punching Remus in the arm. "I call being godfather."

"We don't even have a kid yet!" Remus hissed.

Sirius glared at him. "_WELL_, you're already godfather to little Rose Snape! I want to be godfather to someone too, you know!"

"Really?" Remus said, raising an eyebrow to him. "Well, Severus told me that they don't have a godfather to their new addition yet."

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Sirius asked, interested.

"Both, they're having twins." Remus said.

Sirius stared into space for a few moments.

"Do you reckon i could train their son into being an animagus like me?" Sirius asked.

Severus walked over, carrying Rose in his arms. "I wouldn't count on it." he whispered to him.

"Damn." Sirius mumbled to himself as Severus departed, swaying to the music with his daughter.

_'Certain as the sun,' _Severus sang to Rose, her bright green eyes watchful, her tiny face smiling up at him.

_'Rising in the east.'_

_'Tale as old as time,'_

_'Song as old as rhyme,'_

Severus placed a kiss on his daughter's forehead.

_'Beauty and the Beast.'_

* * *

><p><span>Author's Note:<span> I messaged Boomy about her AU Snily fic where Severus and Lily have three kids, Rose, and the Twins, Fred and Alice, hence where the names came from. (Also because of Severus' fondness for roses, and that Lily's father was named "Frederick".)

Also, turns out that in the other AU fic, Fred is the only one out of the three kids who got Severus' nose, the girls took after Lily in looks, so i supposed Severus got what he wanted, right?

Thank you for reading!


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